A Most Convenient Plan
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: Hermione wants a baby. Draco needs to get out an arranged marriage. It was the most convenient plan.
1. Chapter 1

New story! I still sadly own nothing. But on a happy note - I finished my Christmas shopping!

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Chapter 1  
"I have to get married," Draco Malfoy declared tiredly. He had just spent the day with his parents as they laid out the terms of his betrothal. A pact had been made with the Greengrass family. He would marry their youngest daughter, Astoria, and in exchange, Lucius Malfoy would receive a controlling interest in Greengrass Enterprises. They had sold their only son for stock.

"Ron and I broke up," his roommate, Hermione Granger, replied.

He sat down beside her and closed his eyes. "About time," he muttered. "What was it this time?"

She sighed. "He doesn't want kids."

"You knew that," he replied.

She nodded. She _had_ known that. Had known for years that Ron Weasley didn't want children. "I hoped he'd change his mind," she said. "I hoped _I_ could change his mind. He said we could get married if that's what I really wanted, but he doesn't see the point in marriage either."

He placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Hermione placed her head on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Draco," she stated as she struggled to hold back tears. The collar of his shirt began to dampen as she silently wept. "Why doesn't he want me? What's wrong with me?"

"Absolutely nothing," he said furiously. "Don't ever say that again. You're sweet and smart and beautiful. You're the best friend I've ever had. Break ups are hard. You and Weasley have been together for almost ten years. It's completely natural that you would be upset. It just bothers me that you think you're not good enough. You're the best, Hermione."

She sniffled and laughed. "You're pretty wonderful too," she replied. "I'm lucky to have you as a friend. I'm sorry for making your bad news all about me."

He smiled. "Well, I figure, to help make it up to me, you could figure out a way to get me out of it," he said.

Leaning back, she stared up at him with a puzzled look on her face. "What? Like marry you myself?" she asked.

"Well, the way you say it makes it sound terrible," he replied with an air of indignation, put on as it may be. "I was merely hoping for a loophole in the contract."

She nodded and placed her head on his shoulder once more. "I think I can handle that," she agreed. "Did you bring a copy of the contract?"

Leaning back, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a shrunken version of the document. With a tap of his wand, it expanded and he handed it over. While she read, he studied her. Her dark brown curls hung to her shoulders, creating a curtain around her face as she leaned forward to read. She was pretty in a simple way - no makeup, a light smattering of freckles across her nose, and she chewed gently on her lower lip when she concentrated.

"Anything?" he asked hopefully when she finished.

Frowning, she shook her head. "What if you did marry someone else?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I lose my inheritance," he replied. "I don't really care about that. I just don't want them to disown me. They're the only family I have."

She gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm gonna find a way," she promised. "Can you think of anyone else who had a marriage contract? Someone who might have figured out how to get out of it?"

Draco sat back and thought about her question. There had to be someone. Anyone. In the history of arranged marriages, there had to be at least one person who broke the contract. "Blaise," he finally said.

"But he married Pansy," she replied. "She wasn't his betrothed?"

With a smile on his lips, he shook his head. "He was supposed to marry some French diplomat's daughter," he shared. "He and Pansy have been together since sixth year, and neither one of them wanted to break up. Her getting pregnant couldn't have come at a better time."

"So, you think the pregnancy is what broke his contract?" she asked. He nodded. "But how is that possible? Surely that can't end a marriage contract. Purebloods often have illegitimate children."

"It has to do with the heir," Draco explained. "If a Pureblood produces an heir, and any firstborn child is considered the heir regardless of the circumstances, then there's no point in fulfilling the marriage contract. The whole point of an arranged marriage, in Pureblood society at least, is to produce an heir."

The pieces were beginning to fit together. She skimmed through the contract again as an idea formed in her mind. It was crazy, but it would work. The contract confirmed it. "What if we had a baby," she proposed.

Frowning, he shook his head. "Absolutely not, Hermione."

"But why not?" she asked. "I want a baby. You want to get out of an arranged marriage. This seems like a perfect solution to me."

"You just got out of a relationship. A rather long relationship," he countered. "Are you sure you're thinking this through clearly?"

She scoffed and got to her feet to stand on the other side of the coffee table. "Of course I am," she replied, hands on her hips. "Draco, I'm almost 30. I want a baby while I'm still young."

He chuckled despite the seriousness of the conversation. "First of all, you're 27," he pointed out. "And second, 30 isn't old. Sixty is old, and that's still a long way off. You've got plenty of time to find someone to have a baby with. Don't do it because you think it'll get me out of this contract."

Sighing, she rounded the table and sat down in front of him. "I'm not offering just because of the contract," she told him, reaching out to take his hand. "You're my best friend, Draco. After the war, you were the one who was there for me. Maybe it was because you came back to school and the boys didn't. A lot of the kids who came back didn't go through what we went through. Being friends with you made me feel safe and sane."

"In a way I guess it makes the whole thing worth it," he added. "The two of us becoming friends. Putting aside past differences and upbringings. I wouldn't have gotten through that year without you either."

She took a deep breath and let it out. "And now, after all this time and all we've been through, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather do this with," she said.

Leaning forward, he cupped her cheek with his free hand. "I don't want you to regret this," he murmured.

"I won't," she promised, closing the distance to kiss his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, the first chapter got a great response! I always get so nervous when I post a story that people won't like it, but you've all managed to put my fears to rest!

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Chapter 2  
Hermione impatiently awaited her lunch companion's arrival. She needed information and there was only one person who could help her. Pansy Zabini arrived looking harried and exhausted. "Merlin, a room without a child," she said as she took a seat across from her. "I miss adult conversations."

"And I was hoping to discuss the opposite," Hermione replied guiltily.

One dark eyebrow rose. "You want to talk about children?" she inquired. Hermione nodded. "What do you want to know? I mean, I'm not exactly an expert. Your mother-in-law might be better suited for this conversation than I am."

"About that - Ron and I broke up," she shared. Pansy tried to hide her delight, but there was no amount of brow wrinkling that could hide her grin. "I know, you think he wasn't good enough for me. Anyhow, Ron's not what I wanted to talk about."

Her friend dropped the concerned act. "So, can I gloat a little bit?" she asked. One look was all it took to tell her no. "Fine, okay, so then what's on your mind?"

Hermione explained the marriage contract Draco's parents had drafted with the Greengrass family. "I know Blaise was betrothed to someone else, but your pregnancy acted as a bit of a loophole," she continued.

"Are you and Draco talking about having a baby?" Pansy asked, her expression turning to one of concern. Hermione nodded. "Merlin, the two of you would have gorgeous, brilliant babies. Have you started trying yet?"

A dark blush colored her cheeks. "Not yet," Hermione admitted. "He's convinced there has to be another way."

Pansy nodded. "Yeah, Blaise mentioned they were having lunch today," she replied. "Must be what they're talking about. But I'll tell you this - marriage contracts are a hard thing to break. We didn't mean to break Blaise's. It just happened. Having Vincent and Isabella was probably the greatest thing I've ever done, but I wasn't prepared for it. We weren't _trying_ for a baby, let alone twins. It killed Blaise to think that I would be on my own while he was forced to marry someone else."

"How did you know it was broken?" Hermione wondered.

"The day the marriage license is issued, the bride and groom have to sign it," she explained. "But if an heir has already been produced, which is a stipulation of the contract, it doesn't work. They can't sign it because the terms of the agreement have been violated, thus putting an end to the contract."

Hermione sipped from her water glass and sat back in her seat. "What if Draco and Astoria had a baby before the wedding?" she inquired.

Pansy grinned. "Still breaks the contract," she replied. "You read his, I'm sure. Then you know that the betrothed couple isn't allowed to..._couple_ before the wedding night. It's some arcane Pureblood rule dating back hundreds of centuries that makes no sense. I can give birth to the Zabini heir out of wedlock, but the woman he was supposed to marry can't."

"Do you think it made a difference that you both are Pureblood?"

Pansy shook her head, her dark bob moving with the motion. "An heir is an heir," she replied. "Now, there are cases when an eldest child can be passed over as heir, but it's the parents' decision."

Hermione took in all of this new information. "So, his parents wouldn't be able to control who becomes the heir," she mused.

"Right, but if they know what the two of you are up to, they'll do whatever they can to stop it," Pansy cautioned. Her friend's good mood slipped and Pansy reached across the table to cover Hermione's hand. "I think you and Draco belong together. I remember Astoria from school. She was a couple of years behind us. Quiet, meek, not the kind of girl to keep Draco interested. But we already know that he loves you and you challenge him in a way I don't think anyone else could."

"We're not getting married, Pans," Hermione replied as she perused the menu. "Just having a baby."

The former Slytherin smirked. "That's what Theo Nott and Eliza Davies said, and they were married two months later," she stated. "Same goes for Anthony Goldstein and Cho Chang. Face it - there's no way you won't get married if you get pregnant."

Hermione shook her head. "Draco doesn't love me like that," she said. "For him, the baby would just be a convenient way to get out of an arranged marriage."

Pansy snorted. "There's nothing convenient about kids," she replied. "Unless you're stuck in a conversation with Millicent Bulstrode and you want out. They're pretty handy then, especially if you have a screamer like Isa. You should also know that women hit on Blaise all the time when he has one of the kids, especially when they were babies. Most of the time I would standing right beside him, and they'd still do it."

"So, Draco is going to attempt to use our child to pick up women," Hermione said flatly.

"No, he's gonna be too busy trying to convince you to marry him," Pansy responded knowingly.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione put her menu down. "And for that you'll do all the babysitting," she remarked.

"Gladly," Pansy replied sincerely. "You know I'll help in whatever way I can."

"Then cross your fingers that your husband managed to convince him that this baby is his only option," Hermione replied.

She returned home an hour later and waited for Draco to arrive. Sitting there alone, she thought back over their ten years of friendship. They'd had a bumpy start. Following the war, Draco had been sentenced to Azkaban to await trial. He had written the first letter, offering an apology and extending the olive branch. It took her three weeks to write back. First she had to get over the shock of an apology from Draco Malfoy, then she had to find the words to say that she forgave him. That had taken some time.

Over the months, they wrote to each other regularly. They never discussed the war or unpleasant memories of Hogwarts. They discussed the NEWT exams and their hopes for finishing their education. He wrote of the things he wanted to do, places he wanted to go, the people he missed. And Hermione never wavered in her belief that he would get to do it all. It did no good to tell him that he could be convicted. He already knew that.

That letter came a month before his trial was scheduled to begin. He was scared of spending the rest of his life in prison for crimes he had been forced to commit. In certain spots, the ink was smudged where tears had fallen. It was then that she insisted Harry and Ron testify on his behalf. Ron refused, claiming there was nothing he could say in Draco's defense. But Harry and she were enough.

It had been Hermione's idea that he move into the flat she had purchased after the war. Without hesitation, he agreed. They had been roommates ever since. They saw each other through long nights of battling nightmares and days of incessant hounding from the press. The friendship that had formed between Draco and Hermione had been fodder for the gossip columns for a year.

"What's on your mind?"

She jumped, realizing she was no longer alone. "You," she replied, turning to look at Draco.

He rounded her chair and sat down on the arm of it. "So, I've been thinking," he said seriously. "I don't want the baby to just be a way of getting out of my contract. I want you to know that I love you, and that's why I want to have this baby."

"So, we're gonna do it?" she clarified.

He smiled. "We're gonna have a baby."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
"She's doing research," Draco lamented as he flopped down on the sofa in Blaise's home office. "What is there to research? Have sex, get pregnant, raise baby, ship off to Hogwarts at age 11. What could she possibly need to know beyond that?"

Blaise chuckled at his naive friend. "Oh what you don't know about child rearing," he replied, shaking his head.

"I know not to call it child rearing," Draco muttered.

"Mate, no one knows Hermione better than you," Blaise told him. "She's wanted to be a mum for a long time, and now she's getting the chance. We both know that when she's excited about something she starts researching. Parenthood isn't really something you can learn from a book, but it eases her mind to be prepared."

Draco nodded, knowing he was right. Sighing, he placed a throw pillow over his face before removing it to sit up. "Here's the thing - I'm not allowed to touch her until she's completed this research," he shared. "She keeps talking about being at our peaks and not letting anything go to waste. She's obsessive, I tell you."

"And she's doing you a favor," Blaise pointed out. "Let her have her research."

"Is it wrong that this whole idea terrifies me?" Draco asked.

Blaise flashed him a sympathetic smile. "I remember when Pansy was pregnant," he shared. "I don't think I slept from the time she told me until the twins were at least a year old. At first, it was the fear that I couldn't be there for them. Her parents were in the process of drawing up her marriage contract, and all I could think was that some other man was going to get to raise my children. Then when my contract was dissolved, I worried that I wouldn't know how to be a good father. I never really had one, so there was no one I could turn to for advice. But then they're born, and something just clicked. I can honestly say I would lay down my life for my family."

Draco swallowed nervously. "What if I never feel that way?" he wondered, feeling his heart begin to pound painfully.

His friend sat forward, resting his arms on his desk. "Can I ask you something?" Draco nodded. "Do you really want to have this baby? Or are you just going along with it because it's what Hermione wants?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I have to go."

Before Blaise could stop him, Draco crossed the room to the fireplace and stepped in, calling out for home. He arrived back at his flat to find Hermione seated on the floor amidst a pile of books strewn about. As he approached, he noticed that she had tears in her eyes. He sat down across from her and took her hands. "Hermione?" he asked worriedly.

She looked up and sobbed. "What if I can't have a baby?" she asked.

"What?" he asked. "Why would you even think that?"

She sniffled and pulled one hand away from his to reach for a book. "I was at St. Mungo's today doing a bit of research," she told him, passing the tome to him.. "And I came across this. It says that repeated exposure to the Cruciatus Curse can severely affect a woman's chances of conceiving. What if...what if-"

"Don't think about that," he said, pushing away the books. He took her hand again and held it tight. "Sometimes all this reading isn't good for you. You know I love you and your diligence to knowing everything there is to know, but when it starts to upset you, I have to put my foot down. It's not healthy for you to obsess like this. We'll make an appointment with a healer. Let them tell us if something's wrong. Deal?"

"But what if I can't get pregnant?" she asked.

Draco sighed. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," he decided. "But I promise you - we will find a way to have this baby. I don't care what it takes."

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his. "I love you, Draco," she murmured.

"I'm holding you to that. There will come a day when you don't quite love me as much as you do now," he cautioned.

She frowned. "Why would I stop loving you?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "Blaise said that when Pansy was in labor, she told him that she hated him and he was never allowed to touch her again," he shared. "I don't know. I just assumed all women would be that way."

"Maybe in the moment," she conceded. "But you've seen them. I've never seen a couple who loves each other as much as Blaise and Pansy do. And if you hadn't noticed, all he does is touch her when they're in the same room."

"You smacked me upside the head the last time we were at dinner and I put my hand on your leg," he reminded her.

Hermione snorted. "You put your hand under my skirt," she pointed out.

"There were crumbs," he excused. "You can be a very messy eater sometimes."

She quirked an eyebrow. "_Under_ my skirt?" she inquired.

Draco shrugged and took her hand to pull her closer. "Don't ask me to figure you out," he teased.

She sat down on his lap and turned her head to face him. "Is it okay that I'm scared?" she asked.

"Of course it is," he replied with a warm smile. "I'm scared too. Look at who raised me. I worry that I'm gonna be exactly like my father. I don't want our kids to fear me the way I feared Lucius. He had no patience for me and would never hesitate to hit me."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," she murmured, kissing his forehead. "You're nothing like your father. He's cold and mean, and sure, there was a time when I thought you were horrible. But you've changed so much. And I've seen you with Isa and Vincent. You're so patient with them even when I can see that they're driving you crazy."

He shrugged. "I love those kids," he replied. "It doesn't bother me."

"And I have no doubt in my mind that you'd be the same way with ours," she stated.

There were still lingering doubts and fears in his mind though, despite her words of reassurance. Could he really be a father? Despite his growth in recent years, there was still a small strain of selfishness in him. He liked their quiet flat. He liked sleeping late when he could. Having a baby in the house would change everything.

He just hoped it would be for the best.


	4. Chapter 4

Some people had some questions after chapter 3, so I hope this chapter answers them.

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Chapter 4  
Hermione glared at the pregnancy test in her hand. The healer said she would be able to conceive with little complication. So why hadn't it worked yet? Three weeks of trying daily, and she still wasn't pregnant. What bothered her more though was how unconcerned Draco seemed to be. She could almost feel his relief when she announced that she wasn't pregnant.

Entering his room, she flopped onto the bed and sighed. "I don't get it," she complained. "What am I doing wrong?"

Closing his book, he placed it on the nightstand. "What makes you think you're doing something wrong?" he wondered.

She glanced up at him and smirked. "Okay, fine. What are _you_ doing wrong?" she inquired.

He gave one brown curl a tug. "Maybe neither one of us is doing something wrong," he reasoned. "Maybe you need to give it longer than a couple of weeks."

"But it's been three!"

He bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a laugh. "Okay, then give it a month," he suggested. "And I don't think stressing yourself out over this is helping."

She sat up and eyed him. "So I _am_ doing something wrong then," she replied.

Shaking his head, he shifted closer to her. "No, I don't think you're doing anything wrong," he assured her. "I think it's like your research though. You get worked up over things when I really think you should just relax and let this happen in its own time. And we do have time."

"Okay, say I get pregnant the day before your thirtieth birthday," she said. "Does that still count? Or will you have to marry Astoria?"

"I think it counts," he replied, pulling her down to lay beside him. "Our baby will be the Malfoy heir from the moment of conception."

She placed her head on his shoulder. "Draco, I have to ask - did you know about the contract before?" she wondered.

Sighing, he tightened his hold on her. "I knew," he admitted. "My father told me about it when I was fourteen. Daphne Greengrass and I used to talk all the time, but then the war happened. You know how people treated me after that. When my parents never mentioned it again, I sort of assumed that the Greengrasses didn't want to go through with it anymore. No respectable Pureblood would want their daughter to marry a Death Eater."

"Then why enforce it now?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Our standing in society has improved," he told her. "Befriending you really seemed to change people's views on me. I became the Death Eater who the war heroine forgave. That's not why I did it though. You know that, right?"

"Well, I thought I did. Now I'm re-evaluating the last ten years," she joked. She turned to lay on her stomach and looked up at him. "I know that's not why you did it. You've been nothing but good to me since the war ended."

"Yeah, well, months of solitary confinement leave you with a lot of time to ponder your mistakes," he replied. "I regret the way I treated you back then."

"I know," she murmured. "But you've done more than enough to redeem yourself. Don't dwell on who you used to be."

He nodded, as if he could do that. As if he could forget the horrors of his past. As if he could forget all the years he had wasted teasing and taunting her. He thanked his lucky stars daily that she had found it in her heart to forgive him for his past misdeeds, and often told him they were worse in his mind than they really were. A few jokes about the volume of her hair or the size of her teeth hadn't bothered her. The mudblood comments had hurt more, but his friendship after the war meant too much to her to allow that to stand in her way.

"I wanted to be better for you," he confessed. "You were the only one who would talk to me that final year at school. After the trial, I had a feeling I'd spend the year alone. I wasn't sure where you and I stood when the conversation moved beyond parchment and quill. But there you were on the first day, offering to sit with me at the feast while Ginny Weasley glared daggers at us."

"I'm difficult to shake," she joked.

Draco chuckled. "Don't I know it," he replied. "But I like that you're a bit headstrong. I'd probably never get out of bed and nothing would get done if you didn't push me to do it."

Turning back onto her side, she placed her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, well, bed sores," she said. "Ron used to say I was too pushy. If that bothered you, you'd tell me, right?"

"Sure," he said quickly. "Well, probably not. You've gotten mad at me in the past, and it never bodes well for me. But it doesn't bother me. Do you think I would have stuck around for ten years if you bothered me?"

"I guess that's true," she replied. "Maybe I'm just worried that once we have a baby, you'll be stuck here with me. I don't want you to resent the baby or me because you didn't think you could tell me if something was wrong."

Crooking a finger beneath her chin, he tilted it up to look into her eyes. "I want you. I want this baby. I want to be a part of this family we'll create," he promised. "You know I'm scared. I've made no secret of that. It's my choice to have this baby with you though, and I want to do it. You've got enough on your mind. Don't add my feelings to your list of worries."

She offered him a sad smile. "You know I can't do that," she murmured.

"Yeah, I know," he replied. "But it was worth a try."

He released his hold on her chin and she rested against his shoulder once more. Of all the thoughts that swirled around her overactive mind, there was one at the forefront - what would a baby mean for their friendship? He called them a family, and they couldn't just be friends if they were a family. Or could they?

She didn't look at him as she asked, "What are we?"

Startled by her question, he attempted to sit up, dislodging her place against his side. "What do you mean?" he wondered, brows furrowed in confusion.

She sighed and sat up beside him. "I mean, we kiss, we shag," she replied, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "That's not something friends do. So, are we more than friends? Are we a couple? Is all of this just until I get pregnant, and then we go back to the way things were before? We'll just be roommates and friends who happen to have a baby together."

"I don't know," he mumbled as he slid off of the bed. He rounded it and moved to the door. "I just...I don't know."


	5. Chapter 5

Has anyone else been on Pinterest? I'm addicted. Like stay up til 1 in the morning browsing Pinterest addicted. So, ya know, if I ever go silent for 30 days, it's because I'm in rehab to get over my obsession.

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Chapter 5  
"I'm sorry. You're trying to do what?" Ginny Weasley inquired as they browsed a rack of wedding dresses in Madame Malkin's shop.

Hermione stood off to the side while her friend shopped. She had been named maid of honor while she and Ron were still together, and Ginny wouldn't allow her to abdicate the title. Ginny had dragged her all over Diagon Alley to get ideas for her wedding when Hermione told her the plan.

"Get pregnant," she said once more. "Draco and I are going to have a baby."

"And that doesn't seem ridiculous to you?" the redhead inquired.

Hermione took the dress with too much tulle from the bride-to-be's hand and placed it back on the rack. "No, it doesn't," she replied. "Draco's my best friend, and we both want to do this. What's so crazy about it?"

Ginny reclaimed the dress and handed it to the shop owner. "It's Draco Malfoy," she stated. "Your kid will come out with a chin so sharp it can cut glass and a Dark Mark on its forearm. Besides, you and Ron will get back together eventually. He's not gonna like playing stepdaddy to Malfoy's spawn."

Turning on her heel, Hermione made her way to the door and left the shop. "I'm going home, Ginny," she stated, sensing her behind her.

"Wait, Hermione, come on," she said, trailing her friend. "Talk to me. I'm sorry about what I said, okay?"

Hermione turned and moved close to her. "No, it's not okay," she replied. "And we're not discussing this on the street. I'm going home."

Ginny huffed as her friend disappeared, then Apparated to Hermione's flat seconds later. "So, can we talk about this now?" she inquired, making herself comfortable on the sofa.

"I think you've said all you need to say," Hermione stated.

Ginny shook her head. "No, I haven't," she countered. "Look, I don't like Malfoy. I don't know that I ever will like Malfoy. But that's not what bothers me about this idea of yours. Have you thought about how you'll raise this baby with him? Does he even plan to help you? And what happens if you meet the love of your life? I'm sure whatever custody arrangement you have will work fine with the both of you single, but imagine the nightmare that could ensue if one of you decides to get married. Besides, the papers are announcing that he's marrying one of the Greengrass girls."

Hermione sighed. "Not that it's any of your business, but having a baby would break his marriage contract," she confided. "But that's not why he's doing it. He wants this baby too. Right now, we're focused on trying to conceive. Once that happens, we'll discuss future arrangements."

"Hermione Granger, the woman with a fifteen year plan, hasn't considered custody yet?" Ginny balked. "No, forget it. Not my problem. I just have one question. Are you still in love with my brother? I know he didn't want kids, but this seems like a pretty extreme way of getting back at him for it. You know how he feels about you and Malfoy together."

Shaking her head, Hermione sat down in the nearest armchair. "This has nothing to do with Ron," she stated. "Yes, we broke up because he didn't want kids or marriage, and I did. I have no intentions of getting back together with him, now or at any point in the future."

"Are you and Draco a couple now?" Ginny asked.

Turning her head, Hermione looked down at the floor. "No," she said softly. "At least, I don't think we are. I tried to ask him, but he wasn't sure." She sighed heavily. "And then he left for Blaise and Pansy's. I think he came home after I went to bed."

"Well, he sounds like perfect father material," Ginny muttered. "If he's walking out the door over a simple question of what you are to each other, what makes you think that'll change once there's a baby in the house?"

Hermione scowled. "It's not like he does this all the time," she pointed out. "He's under a lot of pressure at work, and trying to have a baby has been stressful. I've made that no easier."

"Stop, Hermione," Ginny replied, holding up one hand. "You sound like one of those women who defends a man for beating her."

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione responded. "That's a bit extreme, Gin. Look, it doesn't matter what I say in his defense. You'll always hate him."

Ginny shrugged. "What's that saying about leopards and spots?" she asked.

"That they can't change them," Hermione told her.

"Right," Ginny said. "If you ask me, Draco's the leopard. He's not some bleeding heart do-gooder who just wants equality in our world. He wants you to have this baby so he doesn't have to marry someone he doesn't want to marry, and then he'll just dump all of the responsibility on you. Remember the time he brought home that puppy? Who did all the walking and feeding and let it sleep in _your_ bed until _you_ found its owner?"

"He won't be like that with our child," Hermione said definitively. "And that's the end of this conversation."

Sighing, Ginny got to her feet. "So, are you going to continue shopping with me?" she asked. "Or should we just reschedule for another day?"

"We'll go another day," Hermione decided. "I'm a bit tired."

Nodding, Ginny rose and left without another word. When the green flames dissipated, Hermione left the living room for the kitchen. What she found there surprised her. Or rather, who. "Hey," Draco said sheepishly. "Um, I wasn't eavesdropping or anything."

"How long were you not eavesdropping?" she asked with a smile.

Draco shrugged. "Since you and Weasley got here," was his answer. "But you sounded mad, so I figured I should stay out of sight."

Hermione nodded and took a seat at the table while he continued to make lunch. He worked silently until he placed two bowls of chicken soup and a grilled cheese sandwich on the table. She stirred her soup, but didn't eat. Ginny's words plagued her mind, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

"What she said," Hermione started.

Draco shook his head and stilled her hand. "It's not true," he promised.

"Any of it?" she asked.

Sighing, he sat back in his chair. "You know I've changed," he said. "I wouldn't be sitting here with you now if I hadn't. As long as you let me, I want to be involved our child's life. One of us moving out or getting married won't change that."

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Yes, it will," she whispered. "It'll mean not spending all our time with the baby. It'll mean shipping our child back and forth between us constantly."

"Is there someone else?" he couldn't help but wonder. "I mean, I know you're doing this with _me_ because it's the only way out of the contract, but I didn't think you'd start dating again so soon."

"No, Draco. There's no one," she assured him. "It's just like Ginny said - I'm a woman with a fifteen year plan. It's just something I've thought about. I want to get married someday, and I'm just thinking about how our child would fit into that."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll work it out when the time comes," he assured her.

She nodded reluctantly. "About the dog-"

Draco chuckled and let go of her hand so he could eat. "I was allergic to that dog," he excused. "I doubt I'd be allergic to our baby. It won't be the same."

Picking up her spoon, she started to eat. "It better not be."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
Blaise and Pansy waited at Hermione and Draco's front door for someone to let them in. They had been invited to dinner, but Blaise decided it had to be some kind of joke. "No one's answering the door," he whined. "And it's freezing out here. What the hell could possibly be holding them up?"

"Maybe they're shagging," Pansy innocently offered. "Hermione said they can get pretty loud. I feel bad for their neighbors."

An idea occurred to him then. "Right! The neighbors," he said. "Maybe one of them will let us in." He pressed each button several times until one disgruntled resident buzzed them in. "That was easy. Don't know why I've never thought of that before."

Pansy rolled her eyes as they stepped into the lift. "Look, I like being allowed to come here," she replied. "I'd rather not have the entire building mad at me because of my annoying husband."

Stepping out of the elevator, he pulled her close and wound his arms around her waist. "Let's not fight," he murmured, pressing his lips to hers. "I like you too much to have you mad at me."

She giggled as he led her to the door and knocked. Draco opened it with an exasperated look on his face. "Merlin, finally," he said in lieu of a greeting. "Too busy shagging to arrive on time?"

Blaise smirked and escorted his wife inside. "Too busy shagging loudly to hear us ringing the buzzer downstairs?" he inquired.

Rolling his eyes, Draco shut the door behind them and offered them a seat. "We weren't shagging," he muttered.

"Where's Hermione?" Pansy asked.

"Putting the finishing touches on dinner," Draco told her as he poured drinks, setting one aside for Hermione. "I swear she's been cooking all day. Wouldn't even talk to me unless it was to give an order."

Blaise laughed. "Sounds like Hermione," he agreed.

Pansy set her drink down on the coffee table and got to her feet. "I'm gonna see if she needs help," she decided, kicking off her heels.

"You should know she bit me before for not moving fast enough," Draco warned. "Plus, I may have put my hand over her mouth when she wouldn't stop yelling at me. Does that in the morning too when I try to wake her up. She always bites me."

"I'll keep my hands to myself then," Pansy replied, leaving for the kitchen.

Now alone, Blaise leaned back into the leather sofa and propped his feet up on the edge of the coffee table. "So, how have things been between the two of you?" he inquired.

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Good," he replied, taking a sip from his tumbler of whiskey.

Blaise scowled, wanting something more. "Still trying for a baby?"

"No," Draco said.

He put his feet back on the floor and leaned forward, arms resting on his thighs. "She finally get it that you don't really want a kid?"

Draco rose and took his glass to refill it before handing it back to Blaise. "Who says I don't want one?" he asked. "Look, what we talked about that day, it'll do no good if it gets back to Hermione. Just...let's not mention it again."

Blaise said nothing as he continued to sip his drink. They were soon joined by Pansy and Hermione, each carrying a tray of appetizers. "I didn't know you could cook, Hermione," Blaise commented. "Ever notice that things taste better when there's bacon wrapped around it?"

Draco offered her a drink and a seat on his lap. "Feeling okay?" he whispered. "You've been on your feet all day."

"I'm fine," she replied, reaching for a bacon-wrapped shrimp. "Starving, but fine."

"So, I want to know what the good news is," Pansy stated.

Draco and Hermione exchanged a brief look and smiled. "Well, I had planned to tell you during dinner, but before seems just as good," Hermione replied. "We're pregnant."

Pansy shrieked enthusiastically, rounded the coffee table, and pulled Hermione into a hug. "When did this happen?" she asked. "Oh, the two of you have been trying for so long and now it's finally happened. I'm so happy for you. You know you can count on me to babysit anytime. Day or night."

Draco glanced around the women and smiled. "Can we hold you to that?" he asked his friend.

"Hey, she volunteered herself, not me," Blaise replied.

Pansy turned to her husband and scowled. "You're supposed to congratulate them," she admonished. "Not deny them help. Besides, don't you miss have a brand new baby around? They smell so good and they love you unconditionally. You two are gonna love being parents."

"Gonna hire a nanny?" Blaise asked. "It's the only way to get any sleep at night."

"What would you know about that?" Pansy wondered, reclaiming her seat beside her husband. Blaise shot her an amused look, though he was attempting contempt. She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I kid. Blaise did a lot of the work when the twins were born. Honestly, I don't know that I could have made it through one day without him."

Draco placed his hand on Hermione's stomach. "It'll be the same way with us," he vowed.

"I know," she replied, pressing a kiss to his temple.

"Are you going to find out what you're having?" Pansy asked. "Either way, I've got you covered. Furniture, clothes. You name it, I have it. Unless you want to buy all new things, which I totally support. Just tell me how I can help."

Hermione smiled at her, wondering how she'd gotten so lucky to have such a supportive friend. "We do intend to find out," she told them. "And any help would be so appreciated. I don't even know where to start."

"One other thing," Draco interjected. "We haven't told anyone else yet. I'd rather not see this announcement in the papers, especially before I have a chance to tell my parents."

"And I would prefer that Harry and the Weasleys find out from me," Hermione added. Pansy and Blaise nodded in agreement. "Good, now I think it's time for dinner. Sorry, Blaise, but there's no bacon in it."

Helping his wife to her feet, Blaise chuckled and led the way to the kitchen. "Well, I'm going home then," he replied.

"The front door is the other way," Draco pointed out. "Don't let it hit you in the arse on the way out."

Pansy looped her arm through Hermione's. "The fathers of our children," she mused. "We picked well."

Hermione couldn't help the laugh that passed her lips. "Um, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you," she said nervously as everyone took a seat. "Will the two of you be the godparents?"

The Zabinis exchanged a quick, hesitant look. Godparents in the wizarding world had the same responsibilities as muggle godparents, but with one exception. Guardianship was automatically granted to them in the event the parents could no longer care for their child. It was a huge responsibility, one most couples were hesitant to take on. For some, another mouth to feed was one too many. But that hadn't been a problem for the Zabinis. Nevertheless, Blaise seemed hesitant to accept. To take on the burden of someone else's child in the event something should happen to her and Draco.

Pansy, however, was always another story.

"We'd love to," she told them.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
Hermione's hand was sweaty against Draco's palm. "Don't be scared," he murmured, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I won't let them hurt you."

She stared up at the dark, looming facade of Malfoy Manor. The last time she had seen the large mansion was the day she was tortured at the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange. It was a memory she couldn't erase no matter how hard she tried. The evidence, reminding her of her blood status, was carved into her arm for eternity.

"Easier said than done," she admitted.

"Believe me, you're not alone," he replied. He too dreaded entering his familial home. The last time he had been there was the day they announced he would marry Astoria Greengrass. Now, he planned to tell them that he had no such intentions. Lucius would not be happy. Despite Draco's change of heart after the war, his father had suffered no such attack of conscience. He still believed that purebloods were meant to rule the wizarding world, and nothing anyone said would dissuade him of that notion.

"They're gonna hate me," she predicted. "More so than they do now. We just ruined their perfect plan for you."

Reaching the front door, he took her other hand in his. "Theirs wasn't a perfect plan," he stated. "You and me and the baby. _That's_ the perfect plan."

He placed their joined hands on her abdomen and smiled at her as he kissed her. "Do you think they know?" she asked when he pulled away.

He shook his head, and releasing one of her hands, knocked on the door. "But they will soon."

Hermione's heart raced as the front door opened and a tiny elf in a tea towel escorted them to the main parlor. The elf left as soon as they were seated, and it was minutes before his parents arrived. Narcissa was the first to greet them. Her blue eyes coolly examined Hermione as she hugged Draco.

"Your father will be along shortly," she declared, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I'm quite interested in learning why Miss Granger is here."

"As am I," Lucius stated when he entered. He took a seat beside his wife, but declined her offer of tea.

Draco cleared his throat and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I realize that you're going to be upset by what I have to say," he started. "I just thought you should hear it from me."

"You know, I spoke with Mrs. Greengrass yesterday," Narcissa told them. "It seems your fiancee has a few misgivings about your engagement. Perhaps you should speak with her."

"I intend to," he replied. "But first-"

Lucius interrupted before he could say what needed to be said. "The two of you look rather chummy," he observed. "Are you intending to keep her as your mistress? I'd rather not know about that, Draco."

Scowling, the younger Malfoy shook his head. "No. In fact, I have no intentions of marrying Astoria," he stated, defiance in his voice. "Hermione and I are having a baby."

There. It was out. Now, he awaited the backlash. It came in the form of tears from his mother and anger from his father.

"Of all the stupid, immature, _selfish_ things you've done, this tops them all," his father seethed. "The arrangement with the Greengrasses would have secured you a proper future, Draco. You'd have made contacts with the right people, advanced your career. Instead, you throw it all away for a mudblood."

"So, my happiness doesn't matter?" Draco asked, matching his father's ire. "You care more about money and your status in the community than you do your own son. You forced us to follow a man who wanted to wipe out an entire group of people because he didn't like their blood status. But _I'm_ the stupid one? I don't care about my job or where I could be if I married Astoria. What I do care about is Hermione and our child."

Lucius rose from his seat. "We'll see how much you still care when you've been cut off," he threatened. "Have your office cleaned out on Monday. You no longer work for my company."

Draco, too, got to his feet. "Fine by me," he replied. "We'll be going now. As always, lovely to see you both." He helped Hermione up and led her to the front door. It wasn't until they arrived home seconds later that he spoke. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" she asked, making her way to the kitchen.

He watched as she prepared tea. "For yelling at my father," he replied. "For getting fired. Don't worry about it though. Blaise always has openings at his company. I'm sure he would hire me. We might have to take those hand-me-downs from Pansy now though. We're down to one salary and my inheritance is gone. Plus there will be your maternity leave once the baby comes."

"We'll figure something out, Draco," she promised. "We always do."

Nodding, he sat down and pulled her onto his lap. "You're the problem solver here," he murmured. "What do we do?"

She cocked her head to the side, deep in thought. "Well," she finally said, "I can think of two options. One is you ask Blaise about a job. Or I can work and you can stay home with the baby. I hate the idea of our child being raised by a nanny while we're out all day long. Besides, I make enough to cover our rent and groceries. This could work."

"Okay, and what if you meet someone?" he wondered. "Say you fall in love and want to get married. Where do I go?"

Her arms wound around his neck. "I'll make it a stipulation that you come with us," she told him, pressing her lips to his. "You're my best friend. I'd never let anything bad happen to you."

He pulled away when she tried to kiss him again. "I'm not joking about this, Hermione," he stated. "I don't want you to feel burdened by me. Especially not because of our current situation."

"You're not a burden," she promised, cupping his cheek.

"What if I become one?" he asked.

Hermione chuckled and moved off of his lap to finish preparing the tea. "Is that your new goal?" she wondered. "Make me resent you?"

He shook his head, though she missed it with her back turned to him. "It's more like I'm afraid that you will resent me _someday_," he told her. She set two mugs of tea down on the table and sat across from him. "I don't want to hold you back. If you find someone you love and want to be with, I don't want to be the reason you don't go for it."

Brown eyes narrowed. "Great, thanks, Draco," she replied, getting to her feet. "I'll keep that in mind."

She left then, leaving him alone in the kitchen. "What was that all about?" he wondered.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Pansy rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot," she declared. "What that was about is that Hermione likes you. She wants to be with you. And you essentially told her to forget you and go find someone else."

They strolled through the grocery store, each twin holding one of Draco's hands. He had been unemployed for a week, and Pansy had recruited him to help with her stay at home mother duties. In the past few days, they had been to the park, the zoo, a museum, the dry cleaner, and now the grocery store. He envied Hermione's job.

"You and I both know our relationship isn't like that," he replied. "We're friends, we're roommates, we're having a kid. That's it. She has no romantic interest in me, no matter what you might think."

"Well, I also think you're wrong," she retorted, searching through a pile of apples for the best ones. "Not that my opinion matters."

He stopped to retie Isabella's shoe. "I'm gonna have a cousin, Uncle Draco?" the little girl asked. "Are you and Aunt Minny married?"

"No, Izzy, we're not," he replied, shooting a glance at her mother.

"Are you gonna?" she inquired. "Can I throw the flowers at the wedding? And wear a pretty dress like Aunt Minny?"

Shaking his head, he rose to his full height and reclaimed the kids' hands. "No, Aunt Minny and I aren't getting married," he said definitively. "We are having a baby though. I expect the both of you to be nice, attentive cousins to it. No hair pulling, no holding the baby by one leg. I've seen you with your dolls, Iz."

The little girl, a replica of her mother with dark hair and bright blue eyes, but her father's olive coloring, giggled. "But those aren't real babies, Uncle Draco," she pointed out. "Yours will be real, right?"

Pansy laughed. "Yes, sweetie, their baby will be just as real as you and Vincent," she assured her.

Beside Draco, Vincent, a male copy of his twin, groused, "I'm not a baby."

Draco smiled at him. "Nope, you're a big boy," he agreed.

"Does anyone else know?" Pansy inquired as they made their way out of the produce section. "Or have your parents told everyone about the shame you've wrought on the Malfoy family?"

"They're not telling anyone," he replied. "Hermione has yet to talk to the Weasleys, but she doesn't want me there when she does. I offered to go with her. It's the least I could do after dragging her to tell my parents. But she says no."

Pansy studied the nutritional contents on the sides of two cereal boxes. "Was this before or after she all but told you that she's in love with you?" she asked.

Groaning, he replied, "Quit it, would you? For the last time, it's not like that." Pansy's dark brows rose incredulously, but she said nothing. "Now, while you read every box in the aisle, I'm taking your kids to the candy section to get them all hopped up on sugar."

"Just remember - I _will_ spoil your child the same way," she called after him. "We'll see how you like it then."

Draco chuckled as he led the kids through the store. "Think Mummy will remember to do that when my kid is old enough to eat candy?" he asked.

"Mummy remembers everything," Vincent warned him.

Isabella nodded in agreement. "But she doesn't like when Aunt Minny gets mad at her, so she won't hurt your baby," she assured him.

"Well, I doubt your mum would ever hurt a baby," Draco replied. "But if I know the both of you, I know you'll have his or her back when your mum tries to exact revenge on me."

They turned down the candy aisle and he informed them that they could each choose only one thing. "Can you make it a girl, Uncle Draco?" Isabella asked. "I don't want another boy around. I'm tired of boys."

Draco laughed as she handed him a bag of chocolate covered peanuts. "Sorry, sweetie, but Aunt Minny and I don't get to pick," he told her. The little girl looked crestfallen. "But there's a good chance it'll be a girl," he added in hopes of cheering her up.

"Promise?" she asked.

He opened the bag and placed one piece of candy in her hand. "I promise. Now let's go find Mummy."

They found a worried looking Pansy in the canned vegetable aisle, a mobile phone pressed to her ear. It had been Hermione's idea for them to have them in case of emergencies. And judging by the deep wrinkle between her brows, something was seriously wrong. Draco stopped and stared at her. "What's wrong?" he mouthed.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon. Bye." Pansy ended the call and slipped the phone back into her purse. Eyeing him nervously, she said, "That was Hermione."

Draco could hear his heartbeat pound loudly in his ears. His first thought was of the baby. It had to be alright. "What did she say?" he asked, mere seconds away from a panic attack.

She chewed the inside of her lip, her tell that she had bad news. "The baby is fine," she said, hoping to assuage at least one fear. He breathed a sigh of relief before she continued. "She asked if she could spend the night at our house."

"What? Why?" he demanded. Letting go of Isabella's hand, he rounded the cart to stand closer to his friend. "What did she say?"

Pansy beckoned her children to stay to the side of the aisle where she could see them. "She said that she needed a little girl time," she replied.

"Well, was she planning on telling me about this?" he inquired, his anger growing as his panic dissipated.

She shrugged and continued on down the aisle. "Look, Hermione Granger's mind is a big ball of confusing thoughts to those of us who aren't her," she stated. "I'd prefer to stay out of it."

"Then stay out of it," he suggested forcefully. "This is my life and Hermione's life. If something's going on, I'll handle it. Keep your nose out of it."

"She's my best friend too, Draco. If she wants my help, I intend to give it," she stated, matching his anger. "Why is it, Draco, that when you screw up, it's everyone's fault but your own?"

Shaking his head, he inched closer to her. "I am not having this fight in the middle of a grocery store," he said coolly. "And now I'm going home."

Pansy sighed as Draco walked away, leaving her and her children alone in the store. Vincent gazed up at her with concern in his blue eyes. "Is Uncle Draco mad at us?" he asked.

"No, baby, just at me," she replied. She wrapped up her shopping early, and the family returned home to find Hermione waiting for them.

"I'm sorry," she told her. Pansy sent the children to their rooms, and groceries forgotten, joined her friend on the living room sofa. "I knew Draco was with you. I shouldn't have called when I did."

Pansy waved her off. "Draco's nothing I can't handle," she assured her. "Now, you said there was something you needed my help with?"

Hermione took a deep breath, nervous to ask more of her friend than she already had. "I want to date."


	9. Chapter 9

I'm pretty sure the air conditioning just came on. Not cool, work, not cool.

* * *

Chapter 9  
"Gee, Hermione, I'm flattered," Pansy replied sarcastically. "But I'm married."

Hermione scowled. "I meant other _men_," she clarified.

All joking aside now, Pansy was taken aback by her request. "What about Draco?" she wondered. Hadn't she just spent her afternoon trying to convince him that he should be with Hermione?

In response, she shrugged. "What about him?" Hermione wondered. "It was his idea. He told me to find someone else, so that's what I plan to do."

Sighing, Pansy got to her feet and gathered up the bags she had left by the front door. Wordlessly, Hermione followed her to the kitchen and helped her put everything in its rightful place. "But you don't want someone else. You want him," Pansy guessed.

Hermione arranged the apples in the fruit bowl on the kitchen counter. "Draco and I got what we needed from one another," she stated with an unflinching lack of care. "I get a baby, he gets an heir that will break his marriage contract. We owe each other nothing else."

Pansy took the bag of fruit from her friend's hand and placed it aside. "You're a terrible liar, Hermione," she said softly. "Even after all these years of befriending Slytherins. I could hear the pain in your voice when we talked earlier. The both of you can deny it all you want, but you belong together. I thought having this baby would make the two of you see that."

"You know how I feel about him," Hermione admitted. "I thought _he_ knew how I felt about him. But he made it clear that, although he loves me, he'll never be in love with me. So, what? I should just wallow because some boy doesn't like me?"

"He's not just some boy," Pansy insisted. "He's Draco. After all the two of you have been through, and how you somehow managed to become friends despite it all, I would have thought he'd be more than just_ some boy_ to you."

Sighing, Hermione leaned back against the counter. "I've tried this before," she reminded her friend. "Ron and I were best friends, and I found out he didn't want me either. And now look at us. I can't lose Draco."

"Were you okay with losing Ron?" Pansy wondered, taking a seat on the countertop.

She shrugged. In the past few months, she'd hardly given Ron a thought. Draco's contract had given her something to focus on. Her mind was set on having a baby, on having Draco's baby. There was no room in her mind for Ron or their split. "Yeah, I think I am," she finally said.

"So what makes Draco any different?" Pansy asked.

With tears in her eyes, she looked down at her shoes. "He's my best friend," she answered honestly. "The last ten years, he's been by my side through everything, good and bad. He knows all of my annoying habits, and they don't bother him. When I'm in a bad mood, he knows exactly how to pull me out of it. I love him, and I know he loves me. If not being with him preserves our friendship, then that's what I'll do."

"Hang your happiness," Pansy added. "God, you Gryffindors are just too damn good. Be selfish for once, Hermione. If Draco's who you want, then go for it. Or date someone else to make him see what he's missing. He doesn't want to lose you either. Whatever decision you make, just remember that."

Hermione nodded reluctantly. It seemed like good advice. But when put into action, would it backfire? Would she lose Draco? "Do you think he'd be jealous if he saw me with someone else?" she asked.

Pansy grinned devilishly. "Absolutely he would," she replied. "Which almost makes me think I _should_ find you someone. What about Adrian Pucey? Tall, athletic, gorgeous, and he's got a brain to boot. He might be perfect for you."

Hermione remembered him. A couple of years her senior, she had first met him on the Quidditch pitch. It was the day Ron had attempted to curse Draco with a broken wand, and Ron spent the afternoon burping up slugs. Gorgeous, as she recalled, was the perfect way of describing the former Keeper.

"What if Draco starts dating though?" she asked as she considered the set up.

Pansy slid off of the counter and moved to the refrigerator. "Well, I guess he either didn't want to date you, like he says, or he's trying to make you jealous as well," she replied. "This could be a very long, very sick cycle. Which is why I say you either forget about being with him romantically or you say something to him. I know you're not afraid to speak your mind."

"I'll talk to Draco," she decided. "Don't set anything up until then."

The flat was too quiet. It was too empty. Draco hated being alone, knowing that Hermione had chosen to spend the night somewhere else. The house was dark as he lay in bed, willing sleep to claim him. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he could not fall asleep. He tossed, he turned, he drank warm milk, he tried counting sheep. Getting out of bed, he padded across the room to the bathroom that connected his and Hermione's rooms.

"Dreamless sleep," he muttered, searching through the various potions vials and shampoo bottles and rolls of toilet paper beneath the sink. He groaned with frustration when he came up empty handed. Moving to the other door, he entered Hermione's tidy bedroom. She wasn't one to hide potions from him, especially one as crucial as a sleep aid. Though time had passed, the nightmares were still frequent. But there was none to be found there either.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he sighed. The soft white comforter and yellow pillows smelled like her, and he laid down to inhale the scent. "Merlin, what's wrong with me?" he wondered, closing his eyes. He missed her. It had been a day since she had spoken to him, since he had seen her. And he missed her.

Knowing sleep would not come, he did the one thing he hoped would work. He went to the Zabini's house.

The house was dark and quiet as Draco tip-toed to the second floor. It wouldn't do to wake any of the house's inhabitants. More than once, he had felt the wrath of an armed Pansy Parkinson-Zabini, and he wished to never repeat the experience. He knew exactly how to avoid the squeaks in the carpeted stairs, and breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the guest bedroom. Moonlight was all he had to illuminate the room, but it was enough.

Hermione slept peacefully in the center of the queen-sized bed. He debated waking her, but feared scaring her in the middle of the night. Instead, he pulled back the blanket and slipped into bed beside her. It wasn't until she was in his arms that he finally fell asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Hermione awoke to the strange feeling that she wasn't alone. It was still early enough in the morning that the sun had yet to rise. The only light in the room came from the digital clock on the bedside table. Rolling over carefully, her heart hammered at the thought of who laid beside her. Blond hair disheveled, shirtless, and completely dead to the world, Draco slept on with his arms tightly wound around her.

She breathed a momentary sigh of relief that it was him. Then she wondered what he was doing there in her bed in someone else's home. Deciding she couldn't wait until morning for answers, she shook him until he awoke. His eyes blinked open and he stared at her dazedly. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a harsh whisper. "Do Pansy or Blaise know you're here?"

He yawned once and closed his eyes. "No," he replied tiredly. "I just couldn't sleep."

"So you broke into their house?" she asked incredulously.

Shaking his head, he replied, "Floo. They never remember to close their floo."

"Why are you here?" she asked, her anger beginning to dissipate.

Sighing, he opened his eyes and rolled onto his back. "I told you - I couldn't sleep," he replied.

Leaning on her elbow, she propped her head up with her hand. "How come?" came her softly spoken question.

"I missed you," he responded truthfully.

"It's been a day," she pointed out.

"I know," he replied, tucking his arm beneath his head. "It's just...we've never spent time apart like this. Not with one of us angry at the other."

She placed her head back on the pillow. "I'm not mad at you," she told him. "I think it was just the hormones. I read they can make you a bit crazy."

He struggled to hide the crestfallen expression he was sure resided on his face. "Oh," he said, tossing back the blankets. "Um, I should go. I don't want Pansy or Blaise to freak out that I'm here."

Nodding, she replied, "I think that's for the best. I promise not to tell them you broke in last night."

"Thanks," he told her with a smile. "Will you come home tonight?"

"I don't know, Draco," she replied, sitting up. The blankets pooled around her waist, revealing the gentle curve of her stomach. Of their child. "We need to talk, but I don't know if now is the time."

His brow wrinkled in confusion, but he said nothing. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I'll talk to you soon," he promised before leaving her alone.

She slid back down and pulled the blankets over her head. He came to her. He needed her. But that didn't mean he _wanted_ her. What bothered her more was how upset he seemed when she said she wasn't mad at him. It should have made him happy.

Needing someone to talk to, she got out of bed and walked down the hall to the master bedroom. Rounding the bed to Pansy's side, she knelt down and shook her friend's shoulder. "Pans, wake up," she insisted, shaking her harder. "Please, I need to talk to you."

"Go back to bed, Hermione," Pansy mumbled, burying her face in her pillow.

Hermione gave her shoulder another nudge. "No, please," she replied. "It's really important."

Groaning, Pansy threw back the blankets and climbed out of bed. "You better be having contractions," she muttered, walking ahead of her house guest to leave the room.

"Is that even possible? It's only been three months," Hermione wondered, following her to the kitchen.

Pansy began to prepare a pot of coffee, secretly glad that she couldn't share it with Hermione. "Okay, what's this about?" she inquired. "What was so important that you dragged me out of bed at half past five in the morning?"

"Draco said he misses me," Hermione told her. "And then he seemed mad at me for not being mad at him. And then he left. What do I do with that?"

Pansy held up a hand in hopes of silencing her. "Wait, Draco was here?" she asked. "In my house?"

Hermione nodded. "I promised him I wouldn't tell you, but it slipped out," she excused. "He was in my bed this morning, and we talked. Sort of. So, what do you make of what he said?"

Moving around the kitchen, she pulled out a mug, milk, and sugar, and poured her coffee. "What I make of it is he misses you," she said flatly. "Isa could have told you that. Because you said it yourself."

"But why is he upset that I'm not mad at him?" she wondered.

Taking a seat at the small table, Pansy began to stir several teaspoons of sugar into her coffee. "Can't you be the smart one for the both of us?" she asked. "It's just too early for me to be smart."

Hermione shook her head. "You know relationships better than I do," she pointed out. "My only frame of reference is Ron. Plus, you've known Draco since birth. Who could possibly know him better than you?"

"You," Pansy retorted. Running a hand through her hair, Pansy sighed. "Okay, fine. Maybe he's mad because he hoped that what he said to you about dating other people struck a cord. Maybe he wanted you to be mad that he's trying to push you away. And as I recall, you were pretty unhappy about just that yesterday."

"It did hurt when he said it, it hurt the longer I continued to dwell on it yesterday, and it still hurts today," Hermione replied, sitting down across from her. "But I'm not about to tell him that."

Finishing her cup, Pansy rose to refill her coffee. "Sure, because honesty is never the best policy," she remarked.

Hermione turned in her seat. "In this situation, I think it might be better to lie," she said sadly.

"Better for who?" Pansy demanded. "You? Draco? The baby who might one day ask why Mummy and Daddy aren't together and never were? You can't spend the rest of your life hiding your feelings from him. And it will be the _rest_ of your life because this baby is Draco's as well."

"I know that," she agreed. "And I've thought about what we'll tell our child when the time comes that he or she asks that. Then there are the times that I think maybe you were right, maybe having this baby means Draco and I will be together. But I've also seen him cut people out of his life over much less. What would stop him from doing that to me if he doesn't like how I feel?"

Moving back to the table, Pansy offered her friend a kind smile. "Because you're you," she replied. "He won't risk losing you. Not now. Not ever."

Hermione prayed that she was right.


	11. Chapter 11

Boy, were some people mad at Hermione in the last chapter. I promise, everything will work out sooner or later!

* * *

Chapter 11  
She returned to the flat just as Draco stepped out of shower. With one towel around his waist and another in hand to dry his hair, he stopped short when he saw her.

"Walking around in the buff now?" she inquired. Frowning, he shook his head and went back to his room. Hermione followed him, perplexed by his unusual greeting. Or lack thereof. She sat on the edge of his bed as he dressed. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you watching me?" he asked instead of answering her.

She glanced down at the floor as if suddenly embarrassed by her brazen behavior. "I didn't think it would bother you," she muttered, getting to her feet. "I'll leave you alone."

He had just finished pulling on a pair of boxers when he reached out to stop her from leaving. "Wait," he said softly. "What's on your mind?"

Sighing, she shook her head and attempted to pull her arm from his grasp. "It's nothing," she replied. "Forget it."

But he held firm. "No, I won't forget it," he stated as calmly as he could. "Something's bothering you, and I think it's something you want to talk about. Otherwise, why would you come back?"

"Because I live here?" she retorted. She had come home with every intention of following Pansy's advice. Cowardice had led to the anger she felt at his insistence that they talk. And so she changed tactics. "I wanted you to know that Pansy offered to set me up with someone, and I want to go."

Letting go of her arm, he returned to his dresser to pull out clothing for the day. His back remained to her, and he hoped she didn't see the disappointment in his eyes. "Good, have fun," he replied, pulling a t-shirt over his head.

"That's it?" she asked. "_Have fun_?"

"What do you want me to say?" he asked flatly. "I think you _should_ have fun. I know that once the baby comes, that'll become your entire world. So, have fun now while you think you still can."

Scoffing, she turned on her heel and angrily marched out of his room. "I'm going back to the Zabinis," she called out, entering her room to gather clean clothes. "And I told Pansy you were there last night, so she'll probably shut off the floo before she goes to bed."

Rolling his eyes, he finished dressing and exited his room. "That's fine," he told her. No more was said as he stepped into the fireplace and called out for Blaise's office. Stepping out, he ignored his friend's greeting. "She's impossible! And your wife isn't making her any saner."

"Hermione?" Blaise guessed.

"No, the Queen of England," he replied sarcastically. "Of course I'm talking about Hermione. One minute she's telling me she's not mad at me, the next she's yelling and threatening to have me banned from your house."

Blaise shrugged. "Pansy kicked me out, changed the locks, the wards, and closed the floo on a weekly basis when she was pregnant," he shared as if recalling a fond memory. "It would take a day, but she'd eventually cool off. For her, I think it was more that she was scared that I'd have to marry someone else, so she would try to push me away. We were both a little afraid that she might have to do this all on her own."

Draco flopped down on the leather sofa and put a pillow over his face. "We're not like that though," he said, his voice muffled. Tossing the pillow to the floor, he sat up. "Wait, you don't think she wants to do this alone, do you?"

Propping his feet up on his desk, Blaise leaned back in his chair. "I seem to recall you saying that you weren't sure you wanted to be a father," he reminded his friend. "Has that changed at all?"

"I'm still terrified," Draco admitted. "It was one thing when we were just talking about it, but now it's real. She's actually going to have a baby. _My_ baby. I never wanted kids. I never saw myself being a parent. Hermione knew that. I don't know. Maybe this whole dating thing is her way of finding the baby a father."

Blaise lowered his feet back to the floor and sat forward, arms resting on top of his desk. "This is _your_ kid, Draco," he said, annoyance rich in his voice. "You can't run away from this. You can't give up because Hermione might decide to date someone else. From what Pansy tells me, you're the one who told her to find someone else. You don't get to be upset that she listened to you. If you don't want to actively be this child's father, then I think Hermione has a right to know that now."

"Do you know who Pansy plans to set her up with?" Draco asked.

Blaise shook his head. "All I know is that Hermione wants you involved," he said. "Think about it, man. Her parents are dead. The Weasleys and Potter aren't speaking to her. Aside from my family, all she has is you. Don't let your fear and her pride keep the two of you apart."

Getting to his feet, Draco moved back to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. "It's not like that, Blaise," he said sadly before disappearing in the green flames.

Shutting his eyes, Blaise let out a long, slow breath. He hadn't wanted to get involved in the goings on of Draco and Hermione's relationship. It wasn't his place. If Pansy wanted to insert herself, that was fine by him. But now Hermione was living in his house and Draco was stopping by his office unannounced to complain about her. It was more than he wanted to handle. What he wanted more than anything was to put an end to their madness once and for all. And only one person could help him accomplish that.

When Pansy stopped by an hour later for lunch, he grinned mischievously. "I think we should set Draco and Hermione up," he stated.

With raised eyebrows, his wife took a seat across from him. "Excuse me?"

Blaise nodded as the gears in his head began to turn. "You're planning to set her up with someone anyway. Adrian, if I remember correctly," he replied. "What if you told her it's Adrian, but it's really Draco?"

"And how do you propose we get Draco there?" Pansy inquired.

"Simple, I'll tell him he's meeting me," Blaise offered. "They'll have to talk. They wouldn't be in the same restaurant and ignore one another. They'll talk, they'll have dinner, they'll see that they should be together, and this whole mess will be done and over with. It's genius."

Pansy shook her head. "It's stupid," she replied. "I can pinpoint about ten flaws in your plan already. What if they aren't seated near one another? How will them being a restaurant together equate to this being a date? They go out to dinner all the time. Look, I want them to be together just as much as you do, but I don't know that we can force it."

Rising from his seat, he rounded the desk, and kissed his wife. "Just leave Draco to me," he said.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
Draco stood outside of an upscale French restaurant with a bouquet of white daisies in hand. Blaise had insisted that he pick them up for him as a peace offering for Pansy. He spent twenty minutes ranting and raving to Draco about the fight they had had earlier, and begged him to bring the flowers to dinner. Blaise, of course, had no intentions of showing up.

Instead, it was Hermione who spotted him. "Draco? What are you doing here?" she wondered.

"Meeting Blaise. You?"

She looked away as she answered. "Pansy set me up with Adrian Pucey," she replied. "Told me I would recognize him by the daisies in his hand. I think we've been duped."

He handed the flowers to her. "Ya know, they have an account here," he told her. "Even if we've been duped, that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a free meal. Hungry?"

"I'm eating for two now. I'm always hungry," she replied. He led her inside and they were soon seated. They distracted themselves by reading the menus, but Hermione knew that at some point that would no longer be an option. They would have to talk, and she had no idea what to say to him.

He set his menu aside. "I should have known Blaise wasn't going to show up," he said. "Asking me to bring him flowers should have been my first clue. Pansy hates daisies, and I've bought you flowers enough to know that the white ones are your favorite."

Hidden behind her menu, her cheeks reddened and warmed. Since they had moved in together, Draco had ensured that a fresh vase of white daisies would be on her dresser at all times. They had been her mother's favorite flower, and she had adopted it as hers at a young age. "Why would you believe that story?" she wondered, reaching for her water glass.

Draco shrugged. "Eh, I don't pay attention to half the things he says to me," he replied. An older gentleman with a thin gray mustache came by to take their orders, and with them, Hermione's shield. Alone now, with nothing to hide behind, she offered him a nervous smile. "So, um, are you upset that you're not having dinner with Pucey?"

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. It had been a week since their fight, and a week since they had spoken. "I was...intrigued by the idea of dating someone. And then I was getting ready to go out, and I looked in the mirror. The first thought I had was I look like a beached whale. The second thought was who would want to date a pregnant woman? So, I think a part of me is glad that Pansy lied about Adrian."

Reaching across the table, he took her hand. "I don't think you look like a whale," he told her. "You're hardly even showing. Even if you were the size of a house, I'd still think you're beautiful."

"You don't have to say that," she said softly. "But thank you."

The waiter delivered their drinks and promptly walked away from the table. "I meant it," he stated.

Hermione nodded uncomfortably. "Um, I want to say I'm sorry," she told him, looking down to where his hand still covered hers. "Everything I said to you was out of line. I was upset when you told me that I should date someone else because I thought that meant that you didn't want me."

He gave her hand a squeeze. "I didn't want you to feel obligated to me because of the baby," he replied. "I thought I was doing the right thing, telling you that you had a choice."

"What if I wanted to choose you?" she wondered.

Draco tensed. "Is that...is that what you want?" he asked.

"I think it is," she replied. "But then I second guess myself. I worry that I have feelings that you don't reciprocate. I'm scared that I'll lose you because of that. I don't ever want things to be awkward or uncomfortable between us. You're all I've got."

"You're all I have too," he admitted. "I was never good at being a boyfriend. You can ask Pansy; she'll back me up on that. I've always made it a point to avoid doing things I'm not good at. Maybe that's why the idea of having a baby freaks me out so much. Like maybe if you dated someone else, you'd figure out that you don't need me, and then I won't ruin our child's life by being a terrible father."

Her brows wrinkled with worry and concern. What was he trying to tell her? Perhaps this was his way of saying he wanted out. Tears threatened to sting her eyes as she said, "I'm confused."

Draco nodded. "Yeah, I'm confusing myself too," he agreed. "Let me start over. I don't want to run away from this. For awhile I thought I did. I had a million reasons why I shouldn't be around, and two why I should. I just kept coming back to wanting to be with you and our baby. I can't run away from the only family I have."

The tears she had tried so hard to keep at bay flowed freely now. Rising from her chair, she rounded the table and hugged him. Face pressed to the spot between his shoulder and neck, she sobbed softly. "I'm sorry," she said when she finally pulled away. "I think I just got makeup all over your shirt." And she laughed despite her sniffling.

His arm remained around her waist, and his other hand gently caressed her stomach. "It's fine," she assured her. "Besides, you always do the laundry."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and retook her seat. "Some things are going to have to change around the house," she warned him. "The bigger I get, and especially once the baby comes, there's just going to be no time for me to do fun things like laundry and the cooking."

Laughing as their meals arrived, Draco stole a carrot from her plate and popped it in his mouth. "Maybe you should have let Pansy set you up with someone," he commented. "Maybe you would have learned what fun is."

"Well, clearly you haven't done your job if I still don't know how to have fun," she replied, trying her hardest to seem affronted.

Clearing his throat, he shifted nervously in his seat. "Will you come home now?" he asked, fearful that she might say no.

She held out her hand to him, silently asking him to accept it. "I'd love nothing more," she told him.


	13. Chapter 13

It's short, but I hope that's okay. After all, I'm short and I'm okay with it. By the way, does anyone know anything about laptops and why the sound on mine is so bad?

* * *

Chapter 13  
Draco paced outside of an exam room as Hermione redressed. Her appointment with the maternity healer had gone well, and they were assured that they would be able to determine the baby's gender at their next meeting. His fears had ebbed in the last few weeks since Hermione's return to their home, but each new development set him on edge.

"Malfoy?"

He turned to see who had called out to him and groaned as Ron Weasley approached.

"What are you doing here?" Weasley wondered.

Draco glanced back at the still closed door. "Just waiting for someone," he replied. "Um, why...why are you here?"

The door behind him opened, and Hermione stopped short. "Ron, hi," she said quickly. "We were just leaving."

If the redhead heard her, he said nothing. Blue eyes trained on her stomach. At five months, she had a large enough swell that made it obvious that she was pregnant. "What's going on?" he asked, finally finding his voice. "Is...is it mine? Why didn't you tell me? I had a right to know that I'm going to be a father!"

Sensing that a scene was soon to unfold, Hermione held up a hand. "It's not yours, Ron. Calm down," she said gently. That seemed to put him at ease, but only slightly. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this."

"You didn't tell him?" Draco asked. "Any of them?"

Hermione shrugged, feeling an embarrassed blush warm her cheeks. "It never felt like the right time," she mumbled from the side of her mouth.

"Whose is it?" Ron asked, arms crossed over his chest as he sized up Draco. The small glance she shot Draco's way said it all. "Figures."

He began to walk away, making his way to the far end of the hall, when he heard footsteps behind him. His speed increased, and so did his pursuer's. Reaching the door that led to the stairs, he stopped and turned. Hermione struggled to keep up, his longer gait getting the better of her. "Oh thank god," she muttered when she finally reached him.

"Look, I don't want apologies or explanations," he stated.

She glared at him. "Good, I wasn't offering any," she retorted. "I don't think I owe you either anyway."

Ron let out an impatient sigh. "Then what do you want?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know," she replied, trying to remain as calm as she could. "We've been friends since we were children. I've missed you. It would be nice to have my friend back."

He peered over her shoulder to where Draco waited near the exam room she had just exited. "I'd say you're well covered in the friends department," he commented. "What's that saying? Who needs friends when they have enemies."

"Draco is not the enemy," she stated as her face warmed with anger. "And I don't know why I bother wasting my time defending him to you. You always said I was the stubborn one. Well, I have another saying for you - that's like the pot calling the kettle black. I wish I could change your mind. I wish you could understand the relationship Draco and I have. But you won't because you choose to believe the worst."

She turned on her heel, intent on walking away, when he reached out to grab her arm. "Wait," he said, slackening his hold on her when he was sure she wouldn't leave. "I just...I've never been able to understand it. He was horrible to us when we were at school, and when you came back from seventh year, he's all you talked about. I mean, did it never occur to you that the rest of us might not be so willing to forgive him the way you did?"

"The war has been over for ten years, Ron," she replied sadly. "I never expected any of you to befriend him right away. I know what he was like. But it's been ten years, Ron. I thought by now you might be able to forgive him."

Ron sighed. Perhaps she was right. As much as he hated to admit it, Hermione might be right. Draco had been nothing but good to her during their ten year friendship. He knew Malfoy's was the shoulder she cried on, the one she turned to for advice, the man who had replaced him and Harry as her best friend.

"I guess, maybe, I've been a bit hard on him," he begrudgingly admitted. "He's been good to you, right? I mean, he didn't Imperio you or anything, and take advantage of you?"

One step forward, two steps back, Hermione thought to herself. "No, Ron," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "You know how long I've wanted a baby, and it feels so right to be doing this with him."

"What about his marriage plans?" Ron wondered.

"You mean his Pureblood _arranged_ marriage?" she asked. "It's over. His parents haven't even tried to enforce it since we told them I was pregnant. And we're together now, so it doesn't matter."

He smiled at her. "I'm just glad that you're happy," he told her. "Listen, Fleur just had the baby, so that's what I'm doing here. You should stop by. Everyone would be really happy to see you."

Hermione turned to glance back at Draco, who waited patiently for her. "We have plans, but I'll try to come back tomorrow," she replied. "I'm glad I ran into you."

Leaning down, Ron kissed her cheek. "Yeah, me too," he said. "We'll talk soon. Congratulations...on this, by the way." He awkwardly waved at her stomach as if trying to decide whether or not it would be appropriate to touch her.

Taking a step back, she laughed nervously and returned to Draco. "You're smiling," he observed. She stepped up to him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. "You can't kiss me like that after talking to your ex," he stated, pulling back ever so slightly.

"We had a good talk," she told him, lowering herself from the tips of her toes. "And there was something about that conversation that made me really glad that I'm with you now."

"No second thoughts?" he asked as he led her to the exit hand in hand.

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "None here," she replied. "You?"

He pushed open the door and led her outside as a gentle wind swept through their hair. "I'm the happiest I've ever been."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
"I'm so sorry. She followed me here," Pansy stated as Hermione opened her front door.

Hermione looked past her friend to find Narcissa Malfoy waiting behind her. "Oh, Mrs. Malfoy! What a, um, pleasant surprise," she said, opening the door wider. "Won't you come in. Draco's not home, but I expect him back shortly."

The older woman nodded and followed Pansy inside. "I swear, she just showed up at my house and demanded to know where you live," Pansy whispered as they slowly made their way to the living room. "Why does his mother not know where he lives?"

Hermione shrugged and took a seat in the chair across from Narcissa. "This is a lovely little space you have," she commented. "Small, but homey. Will there be room for the baby?"

"Well, the baby will sleep in the room with me for a few months," Hermione replied. "We're working on renovating Draco's room into a nursery. Draco plans to have it ready by the time the baby is born."

Judging by the look on Narcissa's face, she was appalled by what she had learned. "Where does my son sleep?" she inquired.

Hermione's face brightened with embarrassment. "Usually the couch," Pansy said, coming to her friend's aid. The two women turned to face her. "What? Draco's a prat half the time. I'd make him sleep on the couch even if he had a room that wasn't currently housing half-built baby furniture. He has really got to get moving on that."

"As I recall, your husband promised to help him with it," Hermione pointed out.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Oh, it's not that hard to wave a wand and have all the pieces put together," she retorted. "The twins' furniture was put together with magic, and nothing ever broke. Except that chair. I told Blaise he was too heavy to sit on it."

Narcissa seemingly forgotten, Hermione turned her full attention to her friend. "Draco decided he wants to do it the muggle way," she shared. "He's got it in his head that a good father should be involved, and for him, that means building by hand. You have to admit it's adorable though."

Chuckling, Pansy seemed to soften as she agreed. "You just better hope he doesn't decide to use this as a way of getting out of those nighttime feedings," she cautioned. "Blaise blamed his inability to help on not being able to breastfeed, so I filled bottles. Then he told me that he didn't have the right 'touch', that the kids didn't like him as much. So, I went to my mother's house for a night to give him a little bonding time with them."

Across from them, Narcissa cleared her throat and both women turned surprised eyes on her. "I do apologize for barging in on you like this," the older witch started. "Pansy mentioned the two of you had plans today, so I won't delay you any longer. I just wanted to offer my help."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Your...you want to help?" she asked. "Help us?"

The blonde smiled kindly. "Yes, dear, help you and my son," she confirmed.

"What does Mr. Malfoy think of this?" Hermione wondered as she began to overcome the shock of her news.

With a wave of her hand, she replied, "I don't particularly care. Draco is my son and this is my grandchild. I'd like to see him happy, and I believe that you make him happy."

"He makes me happy too," Hermione shared.

"Good," she replied. "Well, that's all I came by to say. May I use your floo to return home?"

Hermione nodded and watched as Narcissa Malfoy, the woman she once thought cold and unloving, disappeared in the green flames. "What was that all about?" she wondered when she was alone with Pansy.

Pansy tore her gaze from the fireplace. "I think," she replied, "that she wants to help you and Draco. If I'm quoting her correctly."

"She sobbed uncontrollably when we, well Draco, told her about the baby. She sat by while his father fired him and cut him off. Why would she want to help?" Hermione wondered.

"Pureblood parents are different, Hermione," Pansy explained. "They tend to distance themselves from their children. Nannies and governesses and house elves raised us. And forget about grandparents. They existed at family functions, and then disappear back into the family tree. They aren't involved because it's not their place. But Narcissa seems like she wants to change that. She was always a bit more hands on with Draco than other parents were. Telling her that her technically engaged son was having a child with another woman probably just came as a shock to her. I wouldn't read anything into that."

Hermione leaned back, resting her head atop the sofa cushions. "How do you think Draco's going to take it?" she wondered.

"My guess? Not well," Pansy replied.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stick around for moral support?" Pansy whispered as they entered Hermione's flat hours later. Each woman was ladened down with bags, which Hermione promptly dropped once she was inside.

"Please, you just want to watch his head explode," she replied.

Pansy shrugged. "Sure, that's part of it," she decided as she followed Hermione to the bedrooms at the back of the flat. "But Draco's my friend as well. I want to make sure he's okay."

Hermione shot her a disbelieving look, but didn't turn her away. She entered what would soon be the nursery and found Draco on the floor hunched over a set of instructions before glancing at two screwdrivers.

"What are these?" he asked himself.

Hermione walked around him and bent down as well as she could. "Flathead," she told him, pointing to the flat screwdriver in his left hand. "And phillips head."

"Thanks," he muttered, putting the tools aside. He sighed tiredly and helped her stand. "How was shopping? Pansy wear you out?"

"A bit," she admitted. "Um, there's something we need to talk about."

His brows furrowed, first with confusion, then anger, as Hermione recalled her conversation with his mother. When she finished, he shook his head adamantly. "No, absolutely not, Hermione," he stated. "No, I don't want them involved in any way, shape, or form."

He walked out of the room, ignoring Pansy and the hand Hermione placed on his wrist. She followed him to the kitchen, never releasing her hold on him no matter how much he tried to shake her off. "But it's only your mother," she insisted, thinking it would make the idea a bit more appealing.

"You can't possibly believe that," he said, grabbing the pitcher of pumpkin juice from the refrigerator. "Come on, Hermione, you can't possibly be that naive."

"What do you think she's going to do?" she wondered, finally letting him go. "Toss the baby over the side of a cliff? Curse it? Force us to give it up for adoption? I don't foresee her doing that. She seemed genuinely interested in helping us. We can't rely on Pansy and Blaise for everything. It's not fair to them."

Putting the juice back, he slammed the refrigerator door shut. "And what makes you think we need to rely on anyone?" he asked, rounding on her. "You think we can't do this ourselves? You and me - we're all this baby needs."

Pansy cleared her throat and laid a gentle hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I think I should go," she whispered.

Hermione nodded and bade her goodbye. "Draco," she said tentatively, "I know-"

"No, you don't," he interrupted her, his voice softening. "You had a great relationship with your parents. If they were still alive, I'd be more than happy to let them into our lives. But my parents? If it weren't for that stupid marriage contract, I don't think I would have even told them we're having a baby."

"Okay," she replied. "We won't involve them then."


	15. Chapter 15

I'm sure I've talked about my crazy kitten before. Last night he put a spatula in my bed. The night before that he clawed my face. I think he's trying to Godfather me. That doesn't sound paranoid, does it?

* * *

Chapter 15  
Pansy quietly followed Draco through the apartment as Hermione napped. "She's going to kill you," she warned. "Of the plethora of things she hates, surprises are at the top of the list."

"He's her friend," Draco replied as he straightened the pillows on the sofa. "Why would that upset her?"

"Because they haven't spoken in months," she stated, moving each pillow so they became diamond-shaped. "Potter may be more level headed than any of the Weasleys, but he hasn't exactly reached out to her. I thought he would have at least bothered to ask why she stopped showing up to those stupid family dinners, or perhaps asked his fiancee why his best friend was no longer the maid of honor in his wedding."

Draco stopped and straightened up. "Wait, she's not in the wedding anymore?"

Pansy shook her head and took a seat. "She hasn't told you?" she asked. "After she told Ginny Weasley that the two of you were trying for a baby, the little Weaslette released her from her wedding duties. She said she was concerned that Hermione's water could break as she was walking down the aisle. Probably afraid that all eyes would once again be on Hermione."

"Which is exactly what Hermione doesn't want," Draco murmured, sitting down beside her.

Pansy nodded in agreement. "What do you think Potter has to say?" she wondered. Draco shrugged as he got to his feet. Her eyes followed him to the front door where he pulled on his coat. "Wait, where are you going?" she demanded.

"Out," he replied. "Don't worry. Hermione knows."

She sunk back into the cushions as the door closed. It bothered her that Draco was so cryptic, and she was sure that Hermione had no knowledge of his plans. Getting up, she walked to the back of the flat and entered Hermione's room. The lights were off, the curtains drawn, and a blanket was pulled up to the sleeping girl's chin. Pansy climbed onto the bed and laid down beside her. "Wake up," she whispered softly. Hermione stirred, but her eyes remained closed. "Come on, Hermione. I need to talk to you."

"Go way," Hermione mumbled before rolling onto her other side.

"Tell me where Draco was going today and I will," Pansy replied, sitting up.

Hermione groaned and shifted to her back. "To talk to Astoria," she said. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"What's he doing with her?" Pansy demanded. "And why are you not upset about this?"

Sighing, Hermione sat up and opened her eyes. "Why are you?" she wondered. "I'm not worried that he's secretly dating her. Do you really think we would be in this situation if he really wanted to be with her?"

Pansy frowned. "No, I guess not," she muttered. "It just makes me nervous."

Reaching over to the nightstand, Hermione turned on the lamp. "Did Blaise ever meet that woman he was supposed to marry?" he asked.

"The day they went to file for their marriage license was the first time they met," Pansy responded. "At least Draco knows the Greengrasses. That's something, I guess."

Hermione placed her hand over her friend's. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Is there something you know? Something that I should be worried about?"

Shaking her head, Pansy sighed and rested against the headboard. "Draco loves you. He would never do anything to hurt you," she replied as she got off the bed. "Maybe it's just hormones. We can talk about this some other time. Potter will be here any minute."

Hermione followed her as she left the bedroom. "Wait, what was that about hormones?" she asked.

Sighing, Pansy stopped walking when she reached the living room fireplace. "Blaise doesn't know yet," she mumbled.

Hermione squealed loudly. "You're pregnant?" she asked. Pansy nodded solemnly. "Why don't you seem more excited about this?"

Behind them, the floo roared to life and Harry Potter stepped out. "We'll talk later," Pansy promised as she stepped in.

Harry offered Hermione a small smile, hands shoved deep in his pockets, while he waited for her to speak first. When she didn't, he said, "Do you want to sit down?" Hermione nodded mutely and led him to the sofa. He studied her for a moment, his grin never fading. "You look fantastic."

She blushed. "Thanks," she murmured. "So, um, why are you here? It's been months since I've heard from you."

"Yeah, I know," he replied, his smile finally disappearing. "Um, well, I don't have a good reason. Work's been busy, and there was the wedding to plan. And neither of those seem like good enough reasons not to see you after you and Ron broke up. But, um, the wedding is off now, so that'll free up a lot of my time. I just hope that you still want to be friends."

"What is it with everyone burying the lead today?" she wondered. "Why's the wedding off?"

Harry shrugged. "I've spent the last...however long its been since you broke up with Ron, listening to Ginny complain about how you're throwing your life away to be with Malfoy," he said. "And then Ron tells us you're pregnant. That started the rant up all over again. So, I got to thinking - is this what I have to put up with for the rest of my life? A wife who rails on my friends because _she_ doesn't like their decisions. Ron told me that you looked so happy that day, and we started talking about coming to see you. Do you know what Ginny said? She said I had a choice to make - her or the woman who broke her brother's heart."

Tears welled in her eyes. "And you picked me?" Harry nodded. "But why?"

Harry reached for her hand. "Because you're my best friend. No matter what," he replied. "If someone's really going to make me choose between people, then I'm not sure that's someone I want in my life. I've missed you, Hermione, a lot. Can I have a second chance?"

"What about Draco?" she asked.

He took a moment to consider it. "I think we could be friends," he decided. "The guy's been your friend for ten years. There has to be something good about him. I look forward to figuring out what that is."

Hermione laughed as the front door opened. "Well, better late than never to start, right?" she replied. "That'll be him now."

She rose and moved to the door when she didn't hear it close. "Hey," Draco greeted her as he stood in the doorway. "I didn't want to interrupt, but there's someone who wanted to meet you."


	16. Chapter 16

So, I always thought there were other people in my head. After reading the reviews for the last chapter, I know I'm right. And maybe a little bit crazy.

* * *

Chapter 16  
Draco waited nervously for Astoria to arrive. It had been years since they had seen one another. Astoria was two years his junior, and because of that, he rarely associated with her at school. Why his parents had chosen her as his betrothed was a mystery. Maybe she was the only one willing to do it.

The front door of the Leaky Cauldron opened, and a pretty, young blonde entered. She shook the snow from her boots and surveyed the pub. Draco was sure that was Astoria, and waved to her from his table. With a smile on her lips, she joined him and awkwardly held out her hand to him. "Thanks for coming," she said, taking a seat across from him. Draco nodded. "So, um, the papers can't stop talking about you."

He rolled his eyes. "Damned vultures follow us everywhere," he groused. "It's what happens when a war heroine and a Death Eater live together. Probably waiting for one of us to kill the other one in their sleep."

"She's the mother of your child. I wouldn't recommend doing that," Astoria joked.

"She'll be the one who offs me," he replied, good naturedly. "We love each other, but the bigger she gets, the angrier at me she gets."

Astoria smiled. "Yeah, but it must be exciting," she said. "How far along is she?"

"Five and a half months," he answered. "I'm sorry. I'm sure this isn't what you wanted to talk about."

She shook her head. "Actually it was," she replied, her grin never faltering. "You have no idea how relieved I was when I found out about Granger...I mean, Hermione. She was my out and I didn't have to marry you. Please don't be offended by that. Sometimes things just come out, and-"

Draco interrupted with a chuckle. "None taken," he assured her. "I wasn't too keen on the idea of marrying you either. Out of curiosity, did you have someone else in mind? Someone you really wanted to be with."

Astoria glanced down, a curtain of blonde curls concealing the embarrassed blush that rose on her cheeks. "Yes," she mumbled. "But he's engaged or married now, so I don't stand much of a chance."

"Who is it?" he prodded.

Astoria shook her head, but Draco continued to ask. By the fifth time, she looked up and glared at him. "Merlin, I feel bad for your child. Is it your plan to wear people down until they give in just to shut you up?" she asked.

Leaning back in his chair, he shrugged. "That depends. Is it working?"

Rolling her blue eyes, Astoria sighed. "It's Harry Potter," she told him. "Are you happy now?"

A wide smile stretched his lips. "He's at my house right now," he said casually. "I could introduce you. Plus, last night, Hermione started crying about how she ruined your life by stealing me away from you. It might make her feel better if you tell her you want nothing to do with me."

Nodding in agreement, she followed him outside and allowed him to Apparate her to his flat. They had just arrived at his door when she stopped him. "What if this is a bad idea?" she asked.

Draco shrugged. "Maybe it is," he agreed, slipping his key into the lock. He stepped in first, and Hermione was soon by his side. "Hey. I didn't want to interrupt, but there's someone who wanted to meet you."

Hermione stood beside Draco as he stepped out of the way to allow Astoria Greengrass entrance to their flat. She eyed him nervously before cautiously greeting the woman her boyfriend was supposed to marry. "It's nice to meet you," she said politely.

"Actually, Astoria was hoping to meet Potter," he told her, amusement rich in his voice. He leaned in closer and whispered, "She's got a bit of a crush on him."

"He's single now," she shared conspiratorily. Hermione called to Harry, asking him to join them. Draco made the introductions and was soon pulled to the kitchen by Hermione. "Do you think this is a good idea?" she asked worriedly.

Draco shrugged. "Astoria seems really nice," he told her. "I remember her sister being the anti-Slytherin. Maybe she is too."

Hermione sighed as she left the kitchen. "I hope you're right," she muttered under her breath. They returned to the living room to find that Harry and Astoria had already made themselves comfortable. Astoria was giggling in a rather undignified way, a way that would make her parents cringe and disown her if they ever heard it. Hermione couldn't help but smile when she heard the girl snort, which only made Astoria laugh harder.

"Sorry," she said despite her continuing laughter.

"Who'd have guessed that Potter was so funny," Draco added with a smile as he took a seat across from them.

Harry turned an amused smile Draco's way. "Certainly not me," he replied.

Astoria stopped laughing and her cheeks brightened. "Sorry, it's a really bad habit," she mumbled. "Sometimes I get nervous when I meet new people, and I say silly things or snort when I laugh too hard. There's no controlling it."

"Hermione sweats profusely," Harry shared. "Ruined most of her school shirts. One time, she was so nervous about a test that she looked like she'd been caught in the rain, despite being in our common room."

"Harry shakes uncontrollably," Hermione replied, eyeing her friend. "Feels like an earthquake. Professor Sprout once chastised him for disrupting the soil in her pots."

Draco laughed. "I remember that."

All eyes turned on the blond. Harry, wearing a bemused smile, asked what his nervous habit was. Despite Draco's attempts to evade the question, Hermione was more than happy to supply an answer. "He braids things or twists them," she stated. "When I told him I was pregnant, he started fidgeting with his shirttail so much that it stayed in place when he stopped. I'm sort of afraid that he'll break my hand during labor."

"Won't have to worry about that with all the sweating you'll be doing," Draco teased. "Your hand'll just slip right out."

Astoria laughed at she marvelled at their playful banter. "Are they always like this?" she asked Harry.

He looked down at his lap, chagrined. "Um, I don't know," he replied. "This is the first time I've seen them together."

"It was my fault," Hermione said, coming to her friend's aid. "So many years of bad blood, I just decided it would be better to keep them apart."

Draco took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to now," he murmured. "I think we'll be okay."


	17. Chapter 17

I'm having one of those days today when I wish I were 5 again. I would take my fear of closets over the constant pestering I've received today. In my defense, I was only afraid of the closets in my kindergarten classroom because I thought they might eat me.

* * *

Chapter 17  
"Have you told him yet?" Hermione asked, completely unfazed by the rather large knife in Pansy's hand.

Pansy set down the knife and onion she was slicing, and turned to her friend. "Please stop asking me that," she said as politely as she could. "What I want to know about is these rumors that have been going around about Harry Potter and Astoria Greengrass. Word is they were looking rather cozy at the Three Broomsticks last weekend. What happened to the little Weaslette?"

"They broke up," Hermione replied as she mashed potatoes. "Why won't you tell your husband that you're pregnant?"

Pansy shrugged. "It's not time yet," she mumbled. "Isn't it a baby law that you're supposed to wait twelve weeks before telling people?"

"That doesn't include your husband," Hermione pointed out. "Besides, you told me."

"You guessed," Pansy replied.

"After you heavily insinuated, and then didn't deny it," Hermione retorted.

The kitchen door opened and Blaise's head poked in. "Need any help?" he asked. "What's with the yelling?"

Pansy turned and glared at him. "Please go back and watch your children," she instructed. "They're not Draco's responsibility."

His eyebrows rose questioningly, but he said nothing as he returned to the living room. "Are the two of you fighting?" Hermione wondered. Pansy shook her head as she tossed the chopped onions into a skillet. "Just the hormones then, I reckon."

The other witch shrugged as she seared her onions. "What if I don't want it?" she asked, her voice hushed for fear that someone might overhear her. "I already have two, one boy, one girl. I don't need another. And the sleepless nights and incessant crying and stretch marks, I have to do it all over again? There's no one I can talk to about this. No one understands. You wanted your baby. There was no doubt in your mind that this is what you wanted. Am I a bad mother for thinking this way?"

Hermione switched off the burners and pulled her over to the table to sit. "You're scared, and that's okay," she said soothingly. "Yes, I want my baby, but that doesn't mean I'm not terrified of what's going to happen once she's here. But I know I'll have you to help me through this, just like you'll have me. You _can_ do this, Pans."

Pansy held her hand and smiled despite the tears in her eyes. "I can do this," she whispered to herself. Hermione nodded in agreement and helped her to her feet to finish cooking the meal.

Blaise sat beside Draco on the living room sofa and listened as his daughter read to her uncle. When Isabella finished, she shut the book and handed it to Draco. "Can you name the baby Cinderella?" she asked.

Draco chuckled. "I don't think so, sweetheart," he told her. "But you, Izzy, are getting your wish. We found out the other day that it's a girl. We can't go into a shop without her fawning over all of the adorable dresses and outfits she can put the baby in. Is there some switch in a pregnant woman's brain that makes her go crazy over baby stuff?"

"That's not just pregnant women," Blaise replied. "Pansy's been right there with her. She has a stack of catalogs next to the bed, and every night she goes through them, circling all the things she plans to buy for your kid."

"But I thought-"

"Who's hungry?" Hermione asked. "Dinner's on the table." She called Draco to her side under the pretense of needing help. "He doesn't know," she whispered.

Blond brows furrowed. "What do you mean he doesn't know?" he asked, dumbfounded by this revelation. "She's pregnant, it's his. Why doesn't he know? It is his, right?"

Hermione nodded. "Just don't say anything," she warned. "_You're_ not even supposed to know. Pansy will kill me if she finds out I told you."

"She'll have to go through me to get to you," he promised with a smile before leaning down to kiss her. "No one will ever hurt you or our baby."

Behind them, Pansy rolled her eyes. "Stop being mushy, or you'll ruin everyone's appetite," she told them as the food floated in front of her. "Now, get to the table. Hermione's getting far too big to be on her feet this much."

"I didn't hear her complain when I helped cook dinner," Hermione said from the side of her mouth as Draco held out her chair for her. He laughed softly, and sat down beside her. The Zabinis were soon seated as well, despite a minor dispute from the children who each wanted to sit beside Hermione. It was quickly settled when Draco offered to move over one seat to accommodate the twins. "Sorry, Draco, looks like I'm the more popular one now," she teased.

"I wanna be near the baby," Isabella stated. "Mummy, when can I have one like Aunt Minny?"

Blaise choked on his water, but his wife seemed amused. "When you're 40," Pansy told the little girl.

"Aunt Minny isn't 40," Vincent said, wearing a look of confusion. "She's young like you, Mummy."

Pansy turned an amused look her friend's way. "To be fair, Aunt Minny is older than me," she replied.

"Let's be nice," Hermione advised. "Dinner looks fantastic, doesn't it? It's a good thing Pansy had me there to help."

"Chicken's salty," Blaise commented, taking a hefty gulp of water. "Pans used to oversalt everything when she was pregnant. Not your fault, Hermione."

The two women exchanged a nervous look. One Blaise quickly caught. "Um, yeah, sorry about that," Hermione replied with a hesitant chuckle.

"I thought Pansy made the-" Draco started, but shut his mouth when he received a swift kick to the shin. "Ow."

Setting aside his utensils, Blaise sat back in his seat. "What in Merlin's name is going on here?" he inquired. "I feel like someone isn't telling me something."

Instead of answering her husband, Pansy turned to Hermione. "Did you tell him?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, it just sort of slipped out," Hermione excused.

"How could you!"

"She said she's sorry, Pansy," Draco said, coming to his girlfriend's defense.

Blaise slammed his hand down on the table, effectively silencing his dinner companions. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice calm and even. When no one answered, Draco told him what the fight was about. "You're pregnant?" he asked, eyeing only his wife.

Before she answered, she sent the twins to their rooms. "Yes," she told him when it was just the two couples.

"Why did Hermione and Draco know before I did?" he inquired. "How long have you known? How long did you intend to keep this from me?" With each question asked, his voice rose louder and louder.

"I planned to tell you," Pansy replied. "I just didn't know how."

Blaise scoffed. "Well, this seems like the ideal way. Just have Draco do it," he retorted. "If only he had the nerve to divulge his own secrets as easily as he does other people's."

"What does that mean?" Hermione wondered, glancing first at Draco, then Blaise.

"It means he never wanted to have a baby."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
Her eyes burned with tears she would not allow to fall. "What does he mean that you don't want this baby?" she asked, fighting the urge to yell.

Draco threw a scathing glare at his friend. "Can we not discuss this here?" he asked, returning his attention to her. Nodding, she got to her feet and left the dining room. "Was that really necessary?" he asked Blaise. "I accidentally out your wife's pregnancy so you try to ruin my relationship? Some friend you are, Blaise."

"I'm sorry, Draco," Pansy whispered, rising to hug him.

He accepted her embrace. "Come over if you need to," he replied. She nodded and let him go. He walked swiftly from the dining room to the living room, and stepped into the floo. Hermione could often be found in the nursery, and that was the first place he looked. She was organizing clothes, small dresses hung on small hangers, in the closet. "What Blaise said-"

"I don't care, Draco," she replied tiredly.

He walked over to her and took the pile of clothes from her hands. "Yes, you do," he said softly. "Otherwise you wouldn't be crying right now. And I feel awful because I'm the cause of it yet again."

She took two outfits and hung them in the closet. "What Blaise said - is it true?" she asked.

Draco shook his head. "You know I was scared and I thought maybe someone else should help you raise the baby, but I want to do this," he told her.

Her arms crossed over her chest. "Why should I believe that?" she wondered.

Sighing, he moved away from her and sat down in the rocking chair near the window. "Because I love you," he said honestly. "I have never, in my life, loved anyone as much as I love you. The last couple of months, I've been really excited about the baby. Every time we've heard her heartbeat, when we found out we were going to have a daughter, even when you and Pansy go crazy buying clothes, all I've felt is happy. I'm not scared anymore. I just want to be here with you every step of the way."

"I want to believe you," she said. He breathed a sigh of relief, but she held up a hand that let him know he was not off the hook. "But how can I when you tell me one thing and Blaise another?"

"I told Blaise that months ago, before we found out that you were pregnant," he explained. "You were so gung-ho and I was terrified, but I don't feel that way anymore. I just wish I could figure out how to make you see that what I'm saying is the truth."

She finished hanging the clothes in silence, though it was often punctuated by sniffling. When her task was completed, she left the nursery for the master bedroom. Still dressed in the clothes she had worn to dinner, she kicked off her ballet flats and climbed under the blankets. She spotted Draco in the doorway, his gray eyes wet with tears. "Will you come sleep with me?" she asked. "I just need my best friend right now."

He did as she asked; slipping into bed beside her and wrapping his arm around her waist. His hand landed on the baby's foot as she kicked. "Guess she's mad at me too," he murmured. "Can't say I blame her."

Hermione stilled his hand, but continued to hold it. "Just sleep, Draco," she whispered.

The next morning, Hermione announced that she would be staying with Pansy and the kids for awhile. "Blaise walked out last night, and she's not doing well," she told him over breakfast.

Draco cursed under his breath. "Why would he do that?" he wondered. "How do you just up and abandon your wife and children? What Pansy did doesn't seem terrible enough to warrant that."

"He had a right to know," she muttered. "I just wish it hadn't been us who let it slip."

He gathered up the dirty dishes and deposited them in the sink. "I'll go with you," he offered. "I can watch Iz and Vincent to give her a break."

Hermione shook her head. "I was hoping you might try to find Blaise," she said.

Draco wanted to agree, hoping it would repair the damage done to both couples, but he was hesitant to follow through. "I'm not sure I'm the person he wants to see right now," he replied. "And I don't think I'm ready to talk to him either."

"Fine, then I'll go," she decided. "He thinks we're on the same side here anyhow, our partners lying to us and all. I'll talk to him. Just point me in a direction."

She rose from the table, but he quickly stopped her. "I thought we were okay," he said. "I...I thought you believed me."

Turning around, she faced him with a sad smile on her lips. "I think we'll be okay, Draco," she told him. "What you said last night, I believe you. I just wish you had confided in me the way you did Blaise. We could have held off a bit longer if you really had misgivings about doing this."

He closed the short distance between them and kissed her tenderly. "Any doubts I had about being with you and raising our daughter are gone," he assured her. "They've been gone for a long time. This is where I want to be."

"I know," she murmured. "But right now we need to be with Pansy and Blaise."

Nodding, he left the kitchen to get dressed for the day. "Good luck with Blaise," he said when she entered the bedroom. "You'll probably be able to find him at the office. He used to sleep there when his mother drove him crazy about his betrothed. I think that's probably your best bet."

She offered a smile in reply and soon followed him to the floo. "Hopefully, I'll be at Pansy's in a couple of hours, and I'll have Blaise with me," she told him optimistically.

"You could always fake labor," he suggested.

Hermione grabbed a handful of floo powder. "Please don't jinx it," she replied. Stepping into the fireplace, she called out for Blaise's office. She found him asleep on the sofa with a throw pillow over his face. A half empty snifter of brandy had left a ring on the glass coffee table beside him. "This place is disgusting," she said only to herself before she shook Blaise awake.

He appeared startled, sitting up quickly before settling back against the armrest. "I figured it was only a matter of time before one of you found me," he muttered. "Malfoy tell you to look here?"

Hermione nodded and sat down in the small space he had vacated at the other end of the couch. "Why did you leave?" she asked. He eyed her, but said nothing. "Pansy's scared, Blaise. She's afraid of having another baby, she afraid that she's lost you again, she's afraid that you might not love her anymore."

Lines appeared on his forehead as he sat up. "She is?" he asked softly. Hermione nodded. "You know that's crazy, right? You know it isn't true. I was just mad that she hid it from me. I'd never stop loving her."

"Your behavior last night suggests otherwise," she replied sourly.

Blaise nodded contritely. "Are you and Draco okay?" he asked. She shrugged, but told him they would be. "I'm sorry that I said what I did. You and Draco did nothing wrong, but I still took it out on you. Think we can be okay?"

Worried about a pain in her side, Hermione had missed most of what her friend had said. "We can be," she said, holding her stomach, "if you get me to St. Mungo's. I think something's wrong."


	19. Chapter 19

Happy Friday! It's the start of a three day weekend for me. I love long weekends!

* * *

Chapter 19  
"Call Draco," Hermione said the moment Blaise Apparated her to the hospital. He nodded and started to walk away from her to make the call. "Wait, don't leave me!"

He chuckled despite himself. "Which is it?" he asked.

"You have a mobile," she reminded him. "Call Draco and stay with me."

She was wheeled into an exam room with Blaise by her side. "I'll call him," he promised. "Just remember to breathe, and don't worry. I'm sure she's fine. The best healers in the world work in this hospital. You and the baby will be fine. I'm not going anywhere. Even when Draco gets here, I'm staying by your side until they send you home."

"What if something's wrong though?" she asked worriedly.

"Then they'll take care of you," he replied. "Nothing bad will happen, Hermione. I promise."

She sniffled as tears leaked down her cheeks. "You can't make that promise, Blaise," she told him. "Could you call Draco now?"

He nodded, pulled out his phone to dial Draco's number, and took her hand. He spoke calmly, but she could hear Draco's growing panic on the other end of the line. The call disconnected quickly after Blaise gave him Hermione's exact whereabouts, and seconds later, Draco Apparated into the room. He rounded the bed and took her other hand.

"I was only kidding when I told you to go into fake labor," he told her, smoothing back her hair with his free hand. "Has someone been in yet to see you? Do they know if the baby's alright?"

Hermione shook her head. "We only just got here ourselves," Blaise told him.

"Can you...would you mind finding someone to look at her?" Draco asked. Nodding, Blaise left the room. "What happened?"

She told him about the shooting pains she had started to have once she arrived at Blaise's office. "I thought it was just gas or the baby kicking too hard, but she hasn't kicked at all today. It felt strange, like contractions or something. I'm only 27 weeks. What if-"

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," he warned her. "You've read all the books, love. This could just be false labor. And if it's not, if she's born today, she will survive. We will have our baby, and we'll watch her take her first steps and hear her first words. She'll be okay, and so will we."

Hermione reluctantly nodded as the door opened. Her heart raced as a middle-aged woman smiled and removed her wand from an inside coat pocket. She asked a series of questions, but Hermione only had one response - "Is the baby okay?"

The smile the older witch wore fell. "The pains you were feeling were contractions, dear," she explained. "Based on the position of the baby, I fear we may have to induce labor soon."

Hermione sobbed and clutched Draco's hand tighter. "Is there anything we can do?" he asked, his own voice beginning to crack.

"Rest. We'll keep Ms. Granger overnight for observation," she replied. "Right now, the best we can do is monitor the baby. We'll give you a few potions that will help make her stronger so that if she does come early, she'll have a better chance for survival. I'll be back soon with the potions."

Blaise stood by the door, opening it for and closing it behind the mediwitch. "I should call Pansy," he said softly, slipping out of the room.

Draco wrapped his arms around Hermione's shoulders and held her close while she cried. "It'll be alright," he whispered. "Yeah, she'll come a bit earlier than we planned, but she'll be strong and healthy. You and Pansy can buy some new things for her, smaller things."

"We never picked a name," Hermione said. "I thought we had more time, but we don't. She needs a name."

"We still have time," he assured her. "You need to calm down though. It's not good for her if you're overly anxious."

Nodding, she took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. "How did it go with Pansy?" she asked, needing something to take her mind off of what was happening.

Draco was silent as he formulated how best to tell her about his conversation with their friend. "It went...well," he finally said. She gave him a look that said she didn't believe him. "She was upset when I got there, and more upset when she asked how things were between you and me."

"What did you tell her?" she wondered.

He shrugged. "The truth," he replied. "That I messed up and I was afraid that I ruined things with you. And then she started sobbing, so I shut up."

Receiving a gentle tug on his hand, he moved closer to sit on the side of her bed. One hand guided his chin closer until she could kiss his lips. "You're here now," she said when she pulled away. "What happened in the past will stay there. It won't affect us from now on. You love me and our baby, and you want to be here. That's all that matters."

"And I'm not going anywhere," he vowed. The mediwitch returned and watched as Hermione drank down three potions. She advised her to sleep, and promised to check on her again soon.

She felt her eyes grow heavy, but increased her grip on Draco's hand. "Don't go," she murmured.

"I'll be right back," he replied, kissing her forehead. "I'm just gonna tell Blaise to go home. I'll be quick. You won't even have time to miss me. Just try to sleep."

Her head lolled against the pillows. "Can't sleep," she mumbled. "Too nervous."

Seconds later, she was asleep, and Draco managed to extricate his hand from her hold on it. He slipped out of the room to find Blaise waiting outside the door. "Tell Pansy that she's okay," he instructed. "I don't want her worrying. They gave her something that's knocked her out for now, so you might as well head home. I'll call if anything happens."

"I'm really sorry, Draco," Blaise said, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"This isn't your fault," Draco replied. "Thank you so much for getting her here. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

Blaise shook his head. "No, I mean for what I said, what I told her," he said remorsefully. "None of you deserved to be treated that way. I just hope my wife will take me back."

Draco smiled. "That's exactly what she wants," he told him. Blaise removed his hand and turned to leave. "Um, wait. There's something I need you to do first. Can you stop by my flat? There's something in the bedside table drawer that I need."


	20. Chapter 20

We had a long lunch today, so I'm posting a bit later than I usually do. Also, it is so cold out that, half an hour after being outside, I still have body parts that I can't feel.

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Chapter 20  
Blaise returned home following his trip back to the hospital. Pansy and the kids were asleep on the master bed, and he quietly climbed in to join them. The movement woke her. "You're home," she whispered, her voice devoid of any emotion. "Is Hermione okay? Draco ran out of here so quickly that I didn't get a chance to ask."

He nodded. "Yeah, she's on bed rest," he told her. "The baby's fine though. She'll be released tomorrow."

Pansy breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll stop by to see her then," she decided. "Are you home for good?"

He smiled. "If you'll let me," he replied.

She gingerly moved Isabella aside so she could get off the bed, and beckoned her husband to follow her to the hallway. "You walked out," she stated, arms crossed over her chest. "You left us because you were upset. You can't walk out on your family. Your children kept asking me if you were coming back, and I had no idea how to respond."

"I'm so sorry, love," he replied.

"Sorry isn't enough, Blaise," she said sadly. "What happens if I do something you don't like again? How do I know you won't leave again? I can't raise three children alone."

He stepped closer and placed his hands on her hips. "You don't have to," he assured her. "I'm not going anywhere."

Blaise leaned in to kiss her, but Pansy pulled back. "Someone should call Harry and let him know that Hermione's in the hospital," she stated. "Stay with the kids. I'll do it."

She made her way downstairs and sighed as she dropped to her knees in front of the fireplace. A friendship had hardly formed between the pair, but Hermione came first for now. Any past animosity would need to be forgotten. Pansy only hoped that Harry could put it behind him as well for the sake of a mutual friend.

Taking a deep breath, she tossed the floo powder in and called out his name. He soon appeared in the flames and smiled. "Hermione's in the hospital," she said so quickly that it sounded like one word. He asked her to repeat herself, and she did. "I also think there's something my husband isn't telling me. If you go to see her, will you let me know what it is?"

Harry's brows furrowed. "Do you think it's serious?" he asked. "Is the baby okay? She didn't lose it, right?"

Pansy shook her head. "As far as I know, the baby's fine," she replied.

"Okay, we'll head over now," he told her. "Draco's with her, I assume?"

"Of course. He's not that big of a git," she said.

Harry chuckled. "I would hope not," he replied. "I'll talk to you when we get home. Give you whatever updates I can."

Pansy smiled and thanked him before disconnecting the call. Harry pulled his head out of the hearth and glanced at Astoria. "We have to go," he told her.

She looked nervously at him as she asked, "Do you really think I should be there?"

Grabbing his shoes, he moved closer and kissed her. "Of course," he replied as he laced up his trainers. "You're their friend too. I'm not going to force you to go if you don't want to though."

Astoria shook her head and rose to slip on her own shoes. She would go because Harry asked but didn't pressure her. She had become friends with Draco and Hermione, going so far as to offer to babysit whenever they needed a night out. Proper etiquette dictated that she visit her friend in the hospital.

She marched over to the fireplace and took a handful of floo powder. "What are you waiting for?" she asked. "We have a friend to visit."

Smiling, he stepped in beside her. When they arrived in the hospital lobby, he helped her out and dusted the soot off his clothes. They found Hermione's room and knocked softly. Draco let them in, but warned them to keep their voices down. "She's sleeping," he whispered.

Harry nodded. "So, what's going on?" he asked. "Pansy seemed pretty worried when she called."

Rolling his eyes, Draco sat down beside Hermione's bed. "I told Blaise not to tell her," he muttered before divulging all they had learned earlier that day. "I'm trying to be strong for her because I know she's scared, but I can't help but be terrified that we might lose her."

Astoria rested her hand on Draco's shoulder while Harry turned his attention to his sleeping friend. It was easier to focus on her than watch Draco cry. "Is there anything we can do?" he heard Astoria ask. "Have you eaten? We could get you something. Maybe bring by some clean clothes if you're going to stay here the night."

Draco shook his head, but she insisted they be allowed to help. "Food might be good," he relented. "Hermione should eat when she wakes up. Blaise brought some clothes over before he went home."

Harry glanced at the unoccupied chair where Draco had left their belongings. "Why am I not surprised to find a book," he joked, picking up the book of baby names. "Pick one out yet?"

"Yeah, but it's a secret," Draco replied with a small smile.

Harry placed the book back on the chair. "So, um, would it be alright if I told Ron?" he asked. "I know they were making plans to get together before the baby was born, and-"

And they might not have as much time as Hermione had thought.

Everyone thought it.

No one said it out loud.

"Yeah, I don't see why not," Draco eventually replied. "She's got some downtime now. Seems like a good time for him to stop by."

Harry nodded and promised they would be back soon with food. Out in the hallway, Astoria asked, "Are you going to tell Pansy what Draco told you?"

He shrugged as he led her to the exit. "She asked me to," he replied. "I don't know why Draco doesn't want her to know, but it's Hermione. She has a right to know what's going on. Pansy has been one of her closest friends. It doesn't feel right to leave her out."

When they were alone, Draco held Hermione's hand and kissed her knuckles. Alone once more, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He flipped the box open with his thumb, removed the ring from its pillow, and slid it onto her finger. It was a simple diamond with a gold band, and had belonged to his mother. It was supposed to have gone to Astoria, but now it would be Hermione's. If she said yes.

"I hope you'll say yes," he whispered before removing it from her finger and slipping it back in the box.


	21. Chapter 21

Happy Friday! I went to the doctor for my knee yesterday. His advice was to rest and not work out. For someone whose known me since I was 7, he really knows nothing about me. I'm pretty sure I haven't worked out this century.

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Chapter 21  
It was just past midnight when the mediwitch came to check on Hermione. She frowned as the tests confirmed what she already knew. They would have to deliver the baby that day. Hermione was surprisingly stoic when she heard the news. Draco, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. His heart palpitated, sweat dampened his back, and he feared that his meager dinner was about to make a reappearance.

"We'll be okay, right?" Hermione whispered, giving his hand a squeeze.

Draco turned to face her, and realized the mediwitch was gone. "I...I hope so," he replied. He dug into his pocket and pulled the ring out once more. "Um, listen, I want you to know that I love you so much. I'm not asking you this because of the baby, because even if by some small chance she doesn't make it, I still want you to be my wife. Will you marry me, Hermione?"

"Really?" she asked as her eyes welled with tears. He nodded and held the ring up for her to see. "You won't regret it when we get home?"

"Absolutely not," he replied. "Even if you say no, I'll still find a way to spend the rest of my life with you." She held her left hand out to him and he put the ring on her finger. "I guess this means yes."

Leaning forward, she kissed him. "Yes, it means yes," she told him. "Will you stay in the room with me? I don't want to be in there alone."

He moved to sit beside her on the bed. "I won't leave your side," he promised, placing one arm around her shoulders and his other hand on her stomach.

"You should call Blaise and Pansy," she said. "And Harry and Astoria. Did I hear you mention something about Ron earlier? Did he call?"

Draco shook his head. "How much of my conversation with Harry did you hear?" he wondered.

Hermione shrugged. "Not much," she replied. "Just heard something about Ron and him coming to visit."

"Do you want to see him?"

She took a brief moment to think about his question before saying no. "It's not that I don't ever want to see him," she amended. "I just think that now isn't the time. There are more important things to deal with than reunions with ex-boyfriends."

He nodded in agreement as they lapsed into silence. The mediwitch returned half an hour later to announce that they had a room ready for her. Draco removed himself from the bed, and followed as it moved on its own. The delivery room was at the opposite end of the hallway, and Hermione would soon be ready for surgery. Draco was asked to step out of the room as she was assessed and prepped. Finding a deserted room, he slipped inside to call Harry and Blaise.

"No, I'll be in the room with her," he said when Blaise asked if they should come to the hospital. "I'm not sure how long the surgery will take."

"Potter's coming, yeah?" Blaise asked. When Draco confirmed that despite his insistence that he not come, he and Astoria planned to anyway. "Okay, so we'll have company. Pansy's mum can watch the kids."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine," he relented. "I'll see you after my daughter is born." He disconnected the call and returned to Hermione's room, glad to be admitted entrance. A sheet was set up to block Hermione's view of anything below her stomach. "What's that for?" Draco asked.

"Do you really want to see what my insides look like?" Hermione inquired.

He gently kissed her forehead. "Doing okay?" he asked. "Have they given you anything? You seem...calm."

She nodded. "Numbing potion. Can't feel anything below my shoulders," she said. "It's not a bad feeling. They also gave me something to help me relax. I think I might have needed that."

Draco chuckled. "I could use some of that too," he agreed.

The mediwitch smiled. "Okay, we're ready to start," she told them.

The Zabinis arrived first and made themselves comfortable in the waiting room. Pansy flipped angrily through a copy of _Witch Weekly_ before tossing it on the small table beside the sofa. "I can't believe you didn't tell me," she seethed. "She still has at least two months to go, and you tell me everything's fine. And now...now they're delivering the baby! Why would you keep this from me?"

"I didn't want to worry you," he explained. "I was afraid that if Hermione had complications, you might think you'll have the same ones."

Pansy scoffed. "Oh, so you think I'm a hypochondriac now?" she inquired.

He shot her a pointed look. "When your uncle had prostate problems, you asked if you should get yours checked out," he pointed out. "It took Hermione half an hour to convince you that you had nothing to worry about since you don't have a prostate."

She rolled her eyes, though she knew he had a point. "Still, you should have told me yesterday," she muttered. "I shouldn't have to ask Potter things that my husband already knows."

He let slide that he found out about his child from someone who wasn't his wife. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry."

Sighing, she reached for his hand and held it. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the baby sooner," she replied.

Removing his hand from hers, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close. "Consider us even?" he murmured, kissing her temple.

She laid her head on his shoulder and murmured, "I guess." They sat in silence as they awaited news of the Malfoy baby. "Blaise, what if something like this happens to us?"

"We'll handle it," he replied. "Just like Draco and Hermione. I'm sure our baby will be fine, just like theirs."

Harry and Astoria arrived half an hour later and joined them. "Any news?" Harry asked as he took Astoria's coat to hang up. Blaise shook his head and frowned. "Have you been here long?"

"Not really," Pansy replied. "I think the anxiety makes it feel longer."

The newly arrived couple sat down. "You've had a baby. How long does it usually take?" Astoria asked.

Pansy snorted. "Let's see - labor felt like it lasted somewhere around three weeks, and then they gave me the potions for the pain," she recalled. "The actual pushing two human beings out of my body seemed to go much faster after that."

Before anyone could respond, Draco appeared with a smile on his face. "She's here," he announced breathlessly. "She's here and she's perfect."

Questions were asked, excited and overlapping. He held up a hand to silence them, and asked Pansy to repeat herself first. "Will she be okay?" she asked.

"They think so," Draco replied. "She's small. Just over a kilo, but her organs are well developed. They're keeping her here for awhile though."

"How's Hermione?" Harry wondered. "Can we see her?"

Draco shook his head. "She's resting right now," he told them. "But do you want to see Athena? She's in the neonatal unit."

Pansy squealed. "I get to see my goddaughter?" she asked.

Draco chuckled. "You get to see your goddaughter."


	22. Epilogue

It's a bit short, but sweet. I had actual work to do today, which is why I'm posting later than I usually do. Thank you all so much for reading!

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Epilogue  
One Year Later

"Draco, shouldn't you maybe help your wife?" Pansy inquired as she breastfed her three month old son, Luca.

"Shouldn't you maybe do that somewhere else?" he retorted. "Besides, I've asked her several times how I can help, and she informed me that staying out of her way would be the greatest service I could give. Keeping Athena out of her hair while she sets up the party is the one thing she'll actually allow me to do."

Blaise entered the Malfoy house with an armful of bags. "I don't think there's a pink balloon left on this continent," he complained, dropping the bags beside the door. "Don't you think Hermione's going a bit overboard?"

Draco shrugged and watched as his daughter banged her small hands on the book he held open before her. "I seem to recall Pansy going much crazier for the twins' first birthday," he replied. "Bouncy castles and pony rides if I'm remembering correctly."

Rolling his eyes, he sat down beside his wife. "Don't remind me," he muttered. "They could barely walk. Inflatable bouncy houses are just great when you've barely mastered the art of putting one foot in front of the other. They cried the whole time, and then we introduced them to the ponies."

Draco laughed. "Full on shrieking," he recalled. "Speaking of your children, where are they? Didn't you take them to the store with you?"

"They're out back helping Hermione," Blaise said. "Unlike you."

Rolling his eyes, Draco put aside the book and stood with Athena in his arms. "Fine, I'll be back in two minutes when she tells me to stop interfering," he stated before leaving the room. Making his way to the backyard, he watched his wife hang pink streamers from the trees while Isabella and Vincent blew up balloons. "Having fun?" he asked.

Three heads turned and Hermione smiled at him. "There's my birthday girl!" she greeted them excitedly. She set the streamers to hang themselves and joined her little family on the back porch. She stroked her daughter's soft brown hair and kissed her round cheek. "Are Harry and Astoria here yet?"

"Not yet. They're not supposed to be here for another hour," Draco reported. "The food is ready. I'll dress Tiny closer to the start of the party. Anything I can do to help out here?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, this is mine," she said softly.

He nodded understandingly and returned to the house. If Athena's first birthday was a milestone for her, it was a miracle for Hermione. Born two months prematurely, Hermione feared that her baby would not survive. For weeks after Athena was discharged from St. Mungo's, Hermione slept in the nursery by the bassinet, fearful that her baby would stop breathing in her sleep. Draco had been right when he said that Athena would become the center of her universe, but he hadn't realized until she was born that his world revolved around his daughter as well.

"She sent you back in?" Pansy asked when he returned to the living room. He nodded in confirmation and reclaimed his chair. "So, is Weasley coming to this shindig?"

Draco shrugged. Hermione and Ron Weasley talked frequently, and he had been kind enough to help them move when they bought their house. But he wasn't as constant a presence as Harry. There was still tension between the Ron and himself, but Draco made an effort to be polite for his wife's sake. Ron, who attended their small, impromptu wedding a week after Athena was released from the hospital, had congratulated Draco and confessed that he was glad that Hermione had found someone who loved her as much as she deserved. The pair shook hands, and Ron took his leave for the evening.

"Rumor has it he's close to proposing to Marietta Edgecombe. Talk about trading _way_ down," Pansy continued.

"Getting Hermione to date him was clearly a fluke," Blaise added. Draco rolled his eyes and got to his feet. "What? Don't feel like making fun of a Weasley? Fatherhood really has changed you, mate."

Draco frowned. "The two of them breaking up was one of the best things that's happened to me," he stated. "He and I aren't going to be drinking buddies or anything, but I'm also not going to continue treating him the way I did when we were children. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get her dressed for the party."

When he was out of earshot, Blaise remarked, "Well, at least one of us has matured."

Pansy nodded. "I blame Hermione," she joked.

"For what?" Hermione inquired, passing the living room with the twins behind her.

"For making Draco grow up," Blaise told her with a smile.

She nodded hesitantly before making her way upstairs. Joining Draco in the nursery, she told him that the decorations were finished. "Thank you," she said, "for putting up with me these last few weeks. I know I sometimes get a little crazy. And I'm sorry I didn't let you help. I know her birthday is just as big a deal for you as it is for me."

Draco slipped a pale pink dress over Athena's head and stood her up to do the buttons. "There's nothing to thank me or apologize for," he replied. "We'll have a hundred more birthdays to celebrate with her. I can handle you taking charge of this one."

Smiling, she kissed his cheek. "Still love me?" she asked.

"Always."

The End


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